Jurassic Island
by Lord of Kavaka
Summary: This wasn't the tropical getaway they were expecting. Castle/Jurassic Park AU. Set sometime after 7x10. Castle Winter Hiatus 2014 Ficathon Entry.
1. Prologue - Transfer Gone Bad

**Jurassic Island**

**Prologue – Transfer Gone Bad**

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><p><em>Two Years Ago<em>

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><p>Lightning flashed somewhere off in the distance, brightening the dark night sky, followed several minutes later by the crackle of thunder. A storm was approaching. They needed to hurry up and get this transfer completed before it hit landfall. The oversized forklift carrying the cage appeared from behind the trees. The driver shifted the gears and the engine roared. The vehicle lurched forward, approaching the concrete loading zone.<p>

A thick concrete and metal superstructure surrounded the large paddock. The loading gate was reinforced, and several feet thick. A cluster of men, with heavy cattle prods set to a higher voltage than normally used on livestock, stood waiting on the loading dock. It still wasn't enough to stun the beast, but it would have to do. The beast was of high value to the company.

"Coming in!" one of the loaders shouted.

Two men with red glow sticks stepped forward, and directed the forklift in. Robert Muldoon stood off to the side, observing with a watchful eye, holding his trusty SPAS-12 shotgun at the ready. This new beast was bigger than the rest, and therefore, in his mind, even more dangerous. He had questioned his employer's decision to make another addition to those that they already had in the pen, but his concerns were shut down. Mr. Hammond wanted to impress his investors, and believed that the risks were acceptable.

The cage was lowered without problem, hooking up with the loading track perfectly. Muldoon adjusted his stance, narrowing his eyes at the slits in the cage, listening for the animal. It had been tranquilized, so it should still be asleep. But he heard the low purr of the beast. It was awake. Clenching his jaw and steeling his gaze, he stepped forward, knowing that the transfer process just became ten times more dangerous.

"Docking team, step away."

The docking crew rushed back. The forklift driver shifted gears and pulled away from the docking zone, the vehicle disappearing back into the surrounding trees. Muldoon nodded.

"Loading team."

The crew, dressed in uniform dark blue jumpsuits and yellow hard hats stepped forward, clustering around the large cage. There was a hissing purr from within, and then a sharp snarl, low and terrible. The men jumped back, frightened. Muldoon tightened his grip around the shotgun.

"Loading team!" he shouted, though he was sympathetic. He'd sooner kill the beast than transfer it to the main paddock, but he had his orders.

The loading crew heaved in a collective breath, before stepping back up to the cage and gripping the support handles. This time the beast remained silent. Muldoon narrowed his eyes, before nodding to the foreman. The man inclined his head, and the team pushed the cage along the track towards the loading gate. The cage slid easily into place. Muldoon waited for the locking mechanisms to click, before ordering the loading team back.

"Gatekeeper," he called out.

A middle-aged man, dressed in the same uniform as the loading crew, stepped forward and climbed the ladder along the side of the cage. Muldoon watched from below as the man checked on the locks, verifying their hold. The gatekeeper turned his head and nodded.

Muldoon stepped forward, eyeing the cage warily. He listened to the sounds of the beast hissing and purring from within, stalking in its captivity. He gritted his teeth, shifted his hold on the shotgun. "Jeffrey… raise the gate."

The gatekeeper nodded, and stood up on top of the cage. He bent down and gripped the handles, tugging them up. The cage's gate slowly moved up, rays of light shined through the slots. Jeffrey had the gate more than halfway up when everything went wrong. The cage slid back from the seal with a sudden jerk. Everyone startled back in alarm. The locking mechanism had failed. Klaxons blared as the cage continued to slide back.

The beast roared from within, pounding against the side of the cage, causing it to roll off the track. Jeffrey swayed on top, losing his balance, and tumbled over the edge, landing with a hard thud on the concrete docking bay floor. Muldoon shouted orders, commanding the crew to stun the beast, even if he'd rather order them to kill it.

With the shock sticks set to the highest setting possible, the men rushed in, shoving the sticks through the slits in the cage and shocking the beast within. Jeffrey had just climbed back to his feet when the beast let out a low snarl and rammed against the side of the cage once again, incensed by the shocks from the electric prods. Its roar was terrifying to the bone, like the cry of a banshee come to take your soul.

"Jeffrey, get out of there!" Muldoon yelled, but it was too late. The beast snagged the gatekeeper by the leg, and the men collapsed, howling out in pain.

Muldoon rushed forward, dropping his shotgun as he reached for Jeffrey. He locked his arms around the man's torso as the loading crew rushed around the cage, plunging the shock sticks through the slots in the cage and zapping the beast. It only enraged the beast. It roared and snarled, hissing out terrifying sounds that hadn't been heard on this planet for millions of years.

It all seemed so futile. No matter how many times the crew shocked the beast, it kept fighting them off. The cage rocked off the tracks, and the men scattered back. Through the flashes and sparks, Muldoon and the beast locked eyes. He paled, seeing nothing but cruel cunning and intelligence staring back at him. Muldoon shouted orders, telling them to abandon the cattle prods and get their guns.

"Shoot her!" he shouted, desperately holding on to the flailing Jeffrey. "Shoot her!"

Finally some men rushed in with shotguns, aiming them at the cage. But the beast had the advantage. The bullets bounced off the cage, the slits too narrow for untrained men to aim properly. The beast roared and Muldoon stumbled as the cage shook again. His grip on Jeffrey loosened, and the man was violently yanked back, his bloodcurdling cries of pain filled the air, only to end with a sickening bone crunching snap soon after.

Muldoon scrambled on all fours to his shotgun, still lying where he had dropped it. The crew was still attempting to stun the beast with the shock sticks, but it was a futile endeavor. Muldoon jumped to his feet, and shoved his men aside.

He stuck the barrel through the biggest slot in the cage and fired.


	2. Journey To The Island

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 1 – Journey To The Island**

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><p>The boat skimmed along the water, lifting and falling with the swell of the waves. It made for a bumpy ride, and the passengers had to grip the side railing securely, least they tumble overboard. The smell of salt water filling the air was powerful. Water sprayed into the air and wafted over the group standing—or, for some, hunched over, retching up their last meal—on the top deck of the ferry. The white hull was emblazed with a bright neon logo depicting a setting sun behind a silhouetted cluster of tropical trees.<p>

"Isn't this exciting!" her husband enthused, leaning over the side railing like a dog sticking his head out the window of a moving car.

She chuckled, gazing at him with unsuppressed affection. His smile was infectious and she couldn't help but smile back. "Yes, it is," she agreed. "It's been a long time coming."

He gazed back at her, his blue eyes sparkling as his lips spread into a gleeful grin. "They have a luxury hotel with a gourmet restaurant, did you know that? Top class—they spared no expense!" he inquired, waggling his eyebrows in that way he does that she finds both utterly adorable and ridiculous.  
>"Yes, Castle… I know," Kate pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "I <em>read<em> the brochure too."

Castle flashed her one of his innocent looks. "What would you say if I told you that I booked us one of the trailers up on the ridge, the ones that the brochure said overlooked the lake?"

"I… I'd say I was surprised," she answered, cocking her head slightly and giving him an astonished look. She rested her hands on the railing and leaned forward, mirroring him. "I wouldn't have thought you'd be willing to rough it."

"Normally that would be true, yes," Castle concurred with a nod. "But I couldn't pass on the opportunity that staying in a trailer provided. Granted, it's not like some camper, it's high end, with electricity, plumbing, and Wi-Fi connection, but it's private. And we'd get our very own unobstructed view of the lake throughout our entire stay."

Kate smiled at his child-like glee. She couldn't blame him; even she could feel the excitement rise up from within. It was like the wonder of childhood returning, something that she would probably never had experienced again if it hadn't been for her husband. Castle had a way of looking at things that would always amaze her. He had returned to her that joy of living that had been missing in her life for a long time. Too long.

Despite the many ups and downs in their relationship over the years, Kate couldn't be happier with where they were now; sharing a life and love with Castle, and being his wife… it was almost more than she could have hoped for.

She watched him, always in awe of his capacity for joy. Despite all the horrors and evil he had witnessed and experienced, Richard Castle was still optimistic. He would not allow the darkness in the world to overshadow the many joys life offered. It was an admirable quality, one that she found particularly attractive. He would always be her rock, the anchor that tethered her from spiraling into the dark places in the world.

Castle caught her gazing at him, and he leaned forward, cupping her jaw in his warm palm as he moved in closer, nuzzling his nose against hers. It was only a moment before he was then kissing her. She closed her eyes, humming approval as he flicked his tongue across her bottom lip, seeking to deepen the kiss. She complied readily. Parting her lips for his talented tongue, and moaned, looping her arms around his neck and keening into him.

Things had been different this past couple of months, what with Castle getting kicked out of the precinct. They had struggled for a while to find their new normal. It wasn't easy not having him at the precinct with her, always at the ready with a theory and a cup of coffee. Truth was, she missed working with him. And though he'd acquired a private investigator's license for himself, things just weren't the same.

So when Castle mentioned his—_extreme_—interest in visiting this resort, Kate had jumped at the opportunity, knowing that it would provide them with some quality time away from everyone else. Plus, he did owe her a tropical island getaway. She had even managed to finagle more vacation days out of a surprisingly sympathetic Captain Gates.

The squawk of the ferry's intercom disrupted their moment, and they reluctantly parted slowly, though Kate kept her arms draped around his neck. She bit her lower lip and blushed slightly as she remembered they were on the crowded top deck of the ferry. Fortunately, it appeared that none of the other travelers had been paying them any attention. Almost everyone seemed to be gawking towards the starboard side.

A musical fanfare began to pulse out from the ship's intercom, and Castle wrapped his arms around her waist as they turned as one, following the gaze of their fellow passengers. A head of them was a magnificent view of Isla Nublar. Kate had read in the brochure that originally visitors to the island were to have been flown in via a helicopters, but once the resort expanded, they made the switch to a ferry service that made the trek back and forth between the island and Costa Rica on a regular basis. Of course, VIPs still flew in via helicopters, which they could have afforded with Castle's income, but there was something to be said about the group experience of entering such a spectacular resort.

The ferry was approaching an inlet that served as the main visitor entrance to the resort. Lichen smattered rocks jutted up from the shallow water around the opening of the bay, like the teeth of some long ago vanquished monster. The ferry curved around the rocks and entered the bay, turning towards the coast, and the mouth of a river, which was flaked on both sides by decorative rock pillars, chiseled to look as if they were from the Stone Age. The riverbanks were densely packed with tropical foliage, which swayed gently in the soft breeze.

Kate nuzzled closer to Castle, his arms squeezing around her waist as they both took in the sights before them while the ferry entered the mouth of the river. Just past the rock pillars, spanning the width of the river—bank to bank—was an enormous safari-styled gate, with burning torches on either side as extra embellishment. A sign curved across the top, proclaiming the resort's name in bold jungle font. The entire thing was monolithic. Iconic.

Besides her, Castle practically vibrated with excitement. "Oh my god, this is so cool!" he enthused, and she bit her lower lip, suppress the urge to join him in expressing her thrilled anticipation.

The rest of the passenger 'oohed' and 'awed' appropriately at the marvelous sight. The fanfare blaring out of the speakers reached a crescendo, and—perfectly timed—the large gate doors blocking their way swung open, and the recorded voice of Mr. John Hammond greeted them as the ferry sailed across the threshold.

"Welcome… to Jurassic Park."


	3. The Monorail Ride

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 2 – The Monorail Ride**

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><p>After checking in their luggage with the valet services located by the unloading dock—and being assured that all their things would be waiting for them at their trailer—Castle and Beckett joined the rest of the park visitors in the queue for the shuttle. The high-speed monorail reminded Kate of the one at Disney World, except this one was painted in a green-yellow camouflage style, the fringe around the windows and doors painted red.<p>

Castle draped his arm over her shoulder as they waited for the queue to start moving and Kate couldn't help but smile, easing into his side and resting her head on his shoulder. Her husband still looked like a child on Christmas.

"I can't wait until we see our first dinosaur!" he exclaimed.

Kate chuckled beside him. "You've seen the pictures and the videos on YouTube."

"Yeah… but this will be the real thing!" he objected. "Nothing beats seeing it in person. Just think of how you felt when you finally saw the Colosseum in Rome, or the Venus di Milo at the Louvre. Did seeing just pictures of them even compare to seeing the real thing?"

Kate pretended to mull over her answer, just to make him squirm. "Alright, you've got me there, babe," she patted his hand and pressed a quick chaste kiss to his cheek.

Truth was, Kate still had trouble believing that it was even possible that a company had managed to clone dinosaurs from the blood in ancient mosquitos found in fossilized amber. From what she had read in the visitor booklet that had arrived at the loft along with their admission tickets, Jurassic Park scientists had used the DNA of a frog to build the sequence and complete the genetic code of the prehistoric creatures. It was all a little science fiction, but Kate couldn't deny the reality of it, especially when she'd been seeing it first hand soon enough.

The next train arrived, and Castle bounced with excitement. She squeezed his hand, trying to rein him in… if just a little. Kate was actually enjoying his enthusiastic behavior. It was almost like how he got around any major holiday. The doors slid open, and the line finally began to move. An attendant, dressed in khaki slacks, a light blue polo shirt, and donning a black baseball cap with the Jurassic Park logo embroidered on it, stepped forward to direct the visitors into the monorail.

This time they were able to board.

Castle clasped her hand in his and quickly led her to two seats by the left side window. "I read on a blog that the best seats were on the left… supposed to have the best view of the lake when the monorail sweeps around towards the Visitor Center."

Kate pursed her lips and shook her head slightly as she settled in beside him, Castle practically vibrating with excitement, like a little kid on Christmas Day. A chimed sounded, and the doors closed. And they were off. Kate arched her neck to look around Castle, watching as the docking bay and check-in kiosks disappeared, soon replaced by a tunnel of tropical foliage. The monorail zoomed along, taking them—and their fellow visitors—into the heart of the island. She dropped her hand on his knee, squeezing gently to calm him down. He glanced over at her and smiled, placing his hand over hers and returning the squeeze.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

Castle shrugged his shoulders and gestured around, indicating the park. "For indulging me," he said. "I know this wouldn't have been your first choice for our delayed honeymoon adventure, but… Kate, it means so much to me that you agreed to come."

She slowly interlaced their fingers and clasped his hand tightly. "It may not be what I had in mind," she concurred, "but it's still just us… on a tropical island."

"With dinosaurs!" he added with a child-like glee, grinning widely.

"Yes, with dinosaurs," she repeated smiling back at him as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips, before allowing him to gaze excitedly back out the window. Kate was more than willing to indulge Castle in this.

She may not be as enthusiastic as he was, but that did not stop her from having the same anticipation at seeing once extinct giants in the flesh. Kate could still remember the wonder and awe of going to the American Museum of Natural History with her parents and seeing the fossils of the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Apatosaurus in the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs. That childhood wonder had been tempered with the passage of time, but even Kate realized it was healthy and natural to indulge in it, at least once in a while—yet another thing she had learned from her husband.

The monorail intercom speakers began playing a similar fanfare to what had played on the ferry when they'd passed through the giant gate. Castle squeezed her hand. "This is it!"

Kate shifted in her seat, following his direction, as he turned to gaze out the window. The dense foliage broke, and there it was, the long flowing grass plains, with a spotting of tall trees, and the lake. Kate's breath caught in her throat when she saw them. A large herd of greenish brown dinosaurs with long curved crests on their heads were approaching the lake, some already dipping their heads to drink.

"Castle… what are they?" she asked, eyes wide as she gazed out at the sight. She was only vaguely aware that all the other passengers were doing the same thing.

"Parasaurolophus," he answered absently, staring out the window in awe. "Oh! Hey, Kate… look over there, by the trees. Do… do you see them?"

"See what?" she craned her neck, practically leaning over him to stare out the window. He placed a hand on her hip to steady her and pointed. Kate swept her eyes over to where he indicated. "Oh my god, Castle… are those brontosaurs?"

"Brachiosaurus, yes," he bobbed his head.

She was at a lost for words. The long necked dinosaurs were munching on the top most leaves of the tall trees, seemingly oblivious to the numerous humans gawking at them.

"God, Castle… this… this is incredible."

"What'd I tell you!" he exclaimed, sliding his arm around her waist.

It was then that Kate realized that she was practically sitting in his lap. But she couldn't bother to be embarrassed or even blush. Her eyes were wide and in awe as she stared out at the open grasslands, watching as another herd of dinosaurs, this one was a dark muddy color, with a fan-shaped bone crest on the top of its head. Kate couldn't remember what the name of the dinosaur was, only that they were herbivores. She watched as the new herd mingled with the herd of Parasaurolophus.

She released a breath of awe, unable to look away from the mind-blowing spectacle of seeing two long extinct species co-mingling at the watering hole. And for one of the few times in her life, Kate Beckett was speechless.

XXX

A large rotund man sat at a table filled to the brim with Costa Rican cuisine. It wasn't just his size that made him stand out, though that alone was enough. His skin was pale, and he wore a loud Hawaiian Shirt, the buttons threatening to burst over his round belly. He wore a constant smile that could either be an 'I'm laughing with you' or an 'I'm laughing at you' smile, you could never tell. And that's how Dennis Nedry liked it.

He looked up from his meal when a rusted taxi pulled up, and a man wearing a white Panama hat and spook-like sunglasses stepped out. The man was painfully obvious. He practically screamed American tourist. The man stopped by the café, scanning the open air eating area furtively. Nedry laughed, finding it all so amusing. He shook his head, then waved over to the man.

"Dodgson! Dodgson!" he shouted until he gained the man's attention.

Dodgson hurried over to the table, casting suspicious glances around at the other patrons. "You shouldn't use my name," he whispered as he sat down, still overly paranoid for Nedry's tastes.

Nedry shook his head at the man's attempt at being covert. He pointed at him and loudly proclaimed, for the entire restaurant to hear, "Dodgson. Dodgson. We got Dodgson here!" When no one so much as glanced their way, Nedry turned his attention back to him. "See, nobody cares." His beady eyes flicked up at the Panama hat. "Nice hat. What are you trying to look like, a secret agent?"

Dodgson ignored his teasing. He pushed aside some of the plates, making room on the table for his briefcase. Nedry's focus immediately zeroed in on it.

"Is that it?" he asked, almost gleefully.

"Seven fifty," Dodgson confirmed, sliding the briefcase across the table to Nedry. "On delivery, fifty thousand more for every viable embryo. That's one point five million. If you get all fifteen species off the island."

"Oh, I'll get them all," Nedry asserted confidently, reaching up to grab the handle of the briefcase and pulling it down under the table.

"Remember," Dodgson hissed out, keeping his voice low. "_Viable embryos_. They're no use to us if they don't survive."

"How am I supposed to transport them?"

Dodgson unzipped his shoulder bag and pulled out an ordinary can of Barbasol shaving cream. "The bottom screws open," he said, demonstrating as he spoke. "It's cooled and compartmentalized inside. They can even check it if they want." He reassembled it just as quickly. "Press the top."  
>Nedry took that can from him and pressed the button on the table, and real shaving scream hissed out onto his hand. He grinned, impressed. While Dodgson continued talking, Nedry looked around for somewhere to wipe scream off his hand, and ended up dumping it on top of a pie sitting on a dessert tray next to him.<p>

"There's enough coolant gas for thirty-six hours," Dodgson was saying.

Nedry stared down at the can. "What? No menthol?"

Dodgson sighed. "Mr. Nedry… the embryos have to be back her in San Jose by then."

"Well… that's up to your guy on the boat," Nedry asserted, picking up a napkin to clean his hand. "Seven o'clock tomorrow night, at the east dock. Make sure he gets it right."

Dodgson gave a bob of his head, affirming he would give his guy the information. "I… was wondering… how are you planning to beat security?"

Nedry smirked, it was one of those 'I'm either laughing with you or at you' smiles. "I've got an eighteen minute window," he asserted. "Eighteen minutes, and your company catches up on ten years of research… another five years, and you'll have a park of your own."

A waiter appeared, placing a check on the table, between them. Nedry finished cleaning his hand and stared down at the check with a pointed look. His beady eyes then flirted back up to Dodgson.

"Don't get cheap on me, Dodgson. That was Hammond's mistake."

Dodgson sighed, but complied nonetheless, picking up the check with one hand, while reaching pulling out his wallet with the other.


	4. Visitor Center

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 3 – Visitor Center**

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><p>Castle grinned with pure excitement. How could he not? Jurassic Park was a little boy's dream come true. And if Kate's assertion that he was a nine-year-old on a sugar rush, then this was most definitely one of his boyhood dreams come true—well, this… and having drinks with the Indestructible. But in all honesty, both of those paled in comparison to the boyhood dream—Kate Beckett would be any young boy's fantasy—walking beside him. She was dressed in a loose purple blouse and relaxed-fit blue jeans that still managed to hug her amazingly perfect ass just right.<p>

He had gotten in trouble during the train ride, earning a glare and a hard punch to the shoulder from his beautiful wife. It wasn't his fault. How could it be? Especially when she was the one who had practically crawled into his lap to gaze out the window as the train swept around the dinosaurs drinking along the lake. So he let his hands wander a bit. So what? They were married, and it was too tempting not to touch when her… _ass_ets were in such close proximity to his idle hands.

His shoulder still smarted from the punch, and Kate looked up at him with an unsympathetic gaze. "Next time save the grabby hands for bed, Writer Boy," she said, softening just a bit as she stretched up on her toes and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek.

Castle grinned mischievously and tugged her hand, pulling her out of the current of people that flowed back and forth along the long central pathway. She raised her eyebrows at him, curious. He gripped her hips and nudged her off to the side, ducking them back behind the vending machines selling official Jurassic Park key chains (which he made a note to buy later) and a claw machine game packed with plush stuffed dinosaurs (which he would also find the time for later). She tensed, confused and uncertain what he was doing. She opened her mouth, but he silenced her protest by dipping his head down and pressing a hurried kiss to her lips. Kate sighed and relaxed, easing into his touch. She smiled into his mouth as he teasingly rubbed the pads of his thumbs along her jawline.

Pulling back, Castle winked at her. "I can't wait for later," he spoke low, in a husky voice. "We're gonna make that trailer rock." Kate pursed her lips, but her eyes darkened enough that he knew she approved of the idea. Castle sealed the deal with another kiss, before he turned back to look out at Jurassic Boulevard.

After disembarking from the monorail, they had followed the flow of people through another gate, similar to the monolithic one they'd passed through on the ferry, but smaller. It brought them to a large boulevard of shops, information kiosks, and family restaurants, all leading to an impressive building at the end of the road surrounded by tall palm trees and tropical flora, the central Visitor Center. It stood tall, with three curved walls facing the boulevard. The roofs were peaked in a circular fashion, thatched, in a safari-style. A large double door stood open in the center building, flanked on either side by a relief of dinosaur bones honed out of stone to resemble fossils found in the ground. It was all very impressive.

"So, babe, where do you want to go first?" Kate asked, reaching up to rub a thumb along his bottom lip, smudging off the pink lip-gloss that had transferred over during their kisses.

"I… don't know," Castle said with a shrug, too overwhelmed to make any real decisions yet. "There seems to be so much to see." He slipped his arm around her waist and led her back into the throng of people. They maneuvered their way through the other visitors until they arrived at the large board detailing the many attractions. He glanced at the various rides and attractions listed, as well as shows and tours.

Kate rested against his side, also examining the schedules. "Well, I'm assuming you'll want to do the main park tour," she said, pointing at one of the listed attractions, displayed with a picture of two customized green and yellow camouflaged SUVs, situated along a track, parked in front of an electrified fence.

Castle bobbed his head. "Oh, most definitely," he agreed. "Is there anything you're interested in?"

Kate bit her lower lip and stared back up at the board. "The Avian Observatory looks interesting," she said. "I read in the brochure that they also were able to genetically engineer some prehistoric birds."

"Of course they did," Castle chuckled. "Even though it means _terrible lizard_, most dinosaurs actually have more in common with modern day birds than they do with reptiles."

"Why am I not surprised you know that?" she rolled her eyes and gave him a pointed look. "And anyways, you know what I meant, Castle."

After discussing the options available for a little while longer, they decided to grab a quick lunch at one of the bistros along the boulevard before heading up to the Visitor Center and signing up for the attractions they were interested in. They sat down on one of the outside tables and a waiter handed them menus. Castle glanced at his and let out a little squeal of delight. He flicked his eyes up at a confused Kate, her nose wrinkled adorably.

"They've got chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs!" he exclaimed, grinning wider. "Oh… I so know what I'm ordering."

"You're such a little kid," Kate murmured, rolling her eyes.

XXX

The door hissed open, and John Hammond stepped into the control room, using his faux bamboo cane for support. His arthritic fingers curled around the amber top. He walked down the small ramp and into the central hub, greeting his chief control officer, Ray Arnold, with a nod and slap on the back. Arnold was a tall balding African-American man, sporting a thin mustache, and constantly had an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips.

"How are things today, Ray?" he asked.

"Park's running smoothly, Mr. Hammond," Arnold said, bending down to rap his knuckles against the table—knocking on wood. "The morning ferries delivered just under a hundred more visitors."

Hammond smiled, delighted with the news. They had had some minor setbacks in getting the park operational, and now all that work was finally starting to pay off. "What did I tell you? This park was going to amaze the world!"

"You remind me of that everyday, sir," Arnold said with a dry smile, adjusting his glasses as he sat back down in his chair to glance at the computer monitor. "I prefer not to tempt fate."

"Dr. Ian Malcolm had the same concerns you did, Ray, in the beginning," Hammond pointed out. "But after that little inspection with Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler, even he had to admit that he'd been wrong."

"We got lucky," Arnold said. "It could have been worse. A lot worse."

Hammond shook his head in disagreement. "Ray, Ray, Ray… always the pessimist!" he laughed. "Even after all these years… if you're not careful, my friend, you'll worry yourself into an early grave."

"Better safe than sorry," boomed out another voice, and Hammond turned to see his Head Game Warden, Robert Muldoon, closing the security door behind him as he entered the control room, locking his trusty SPAS-12 shotgun into the gun rack by the door.

"Ah, Robert, how did the recent transfer go?" Hammond asked, anxious for news.

"Can we just stop making the beasts?"

"Come now, Mr. Muldoon, you know better," Hammond wagged a disapproving finger at him. "That is not an option. The world has seen what we have to offer, and they are amazed!"

Muldoon pursed his lips and gave a gruff nod, stalking down the ramp to join Hammond and Arnold on the central platform.

"So, the transfer?"

"She would only accept two out of the six newcomers," Muldoon told him. "Killed the smaller ones. She's smart, you know. She only wants the strong ones."

"Damn… do you know how much money and time it takes to engineer a single specimen? Wu won't be happy."

Muldoon smirked, amused. "I'm not the one who keeps telling everyone to 'spare no expense'," he said. "After all, I still say we should kill them all."

Hammond growled and clutched his cane tighter as he plopped down in a chair besides Arnold, who was kind enough to give him a sympathetic look. He and Muldoon had been having this same argument for over two years, ever since that incident during the big female's transfer.

"Bloody bitch," he grumbled under his breath. "She's too damn aggressive."

"She's a predator," Muldoon shook his head. "What did you expect?"

Hammond shrugged and leaned back in his chair, casting his eyes over the rest of the control room. Every station was filled, except one. He narrowed his eyes, groaning internally when he realized who was absent.

"Where's Dennis?"

"Nedry?" Arnold looked up, furrowing his brow. "Oh… um… He took the day, went to the mainland for some R&R."

Muldoon let out a derisive snort at that, and shook his head. "I'm going off to patrol the perimeter. When that fat ass gets back, remind him he needs to run the security fence diagnostics. He's been stalling for two weeks."

"I'll remind him," Arnold assured.

Muldoon adjusted his hat. "I'll be back in three hours."

Hammond watched as the man retrieved his SPAS-12 shotgun and stalked out of the control room. He pursed his lips and frowned. Turning to Arnold, he asked, "I didn't know we were having problems with the security fences."

"We're not," Arnold said. "Muldoon just wants to play it safe."

"Ah," Hammond nodded in understanding, touching a finger to his nose. "Better safe than sorry, eh?"

"Exactly."

XXX

Castle arched his neck and gazed up at the two dinosaur fossils the Park had on display in the lobby of the Visitor Center. It was a Tyrannosaurus Rex posed in mid-action of attacking an Apatosaurus. He cocked his head, tilting his neck further around as he absently walked underneath the two giant skeletons. He had seen the dinosaurs on display at the American Museum of Natural History enough times with Alexis when she was growing up that he was amazed at how awe inspiring seeing such things still was for him.

"Rick."

He squinted up at the large T-Rex skull, staring at the impressive jaw, imagining what it would have looked like to see those dagger-like teeth sinking into the flesh of the helpless Apatosaurus. It was like seeing a prehistoric struggle frozen in time.

"Rick."

He craned his neck around and followed the vertebrae along the arching back of the Apatosaurus, marveling at its undeniable behemoth size. Surely it must have been a wonder that such giants had roamed the Earth.

"CASTLE!"

He blinked, snapping out of his awestruck wanderings, dropping his head back down to see Kate waving at him from across the lobby. He flashed her an apologetic look, and weaved through the sea of people to meet her by the sign-in desk.

"Sorry, I got a little distracted," he gave her a contrite smile, but she merely shrugged it off, and reached up to brush back the strands of hair that had flopped down over his forehead.

"It's alright, babe," she assured him. "I just wanted to double-check the schedule with you."

"For what?"

"The main tour," she said. "They have some slots open for tomorrow afternoon."

"Hmm," he hummed, bobbing his head. "That sounds good."

Kate turned back around to the sign-in desk, leaning an elbow on the flat surface of the raised counter to speak to the young woman sitting behind it. "The two o'clock tour, then."

The clerk nodded, and typed something in on her keyboard. "Mr. and Mrs. Castle, right?"

"Yes, that's correct," Kate nodded, and Castle slipped his arm around her waist, curling his fingers into her hipbone, grinning happily. He still found it absolutely amazing that she—Katherine Houghton Beckett—was his wife. She turned and smiled at him, before focusing back on the attendant.

"And you still want to do the Botanical Walk in the morning, followed by lunch in the Tree Top Café?" the young woman asked.

"Castle?" Kate raised an eyebrow at him in question, and he nodded. "Yes, that's good for now."

"Okay," the clerk pressed some more buttons on her keyboard, and then swiveled around on her stool to snatch a paper out of a tray behind her. She turned back around, handing a printout to Kate. "Here's your schedule for tomorrow. Lunch and dinner will be provided. You are on your own for breakfast. Most of the restaurants along Jurassic Boulevard serve breakfast specials, but you are also welcomed to the Visitor Center cafeteria, where a complimentary breakfast buffet is served until 10:30 everyday."

"Um… how do we get to our trailer?" Kate asked after glancing over the schedule.

"Oh, um…," the attendant looked back down at her computer screen. "You're in trailer four," she said. "When you exit the Visitor Center, go to your right and you'll see a line of jeeps. Just show your park visitor badge to one of the drivers, and he'll take you up to the ridge."

"And our luggage should already be there?"

"Yes," the young woman smiled, hopping off her stool, and walking around the counter to join them. "Now, if you'll just follow me, we'll fix you two up with those visitor badges and lanyards."

Kate nodded, folding up the printout of their schedule, and placed it, along with some brochures and other forms the attendant had given her, into her purse. She turned to Castle and looped her arm around his, giving him a smile. "Okay, Castle… I'll admit it, this is exciting."

"This way," the young attendant said.

Castle smiled at Kate and winked, before squeezing her hand and following the young woman towards what looked like a photo booth.


	5. Trailer Four

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 4 – Trailer Four**

* * *

><p>The jeep bounced along the bumpy road. Kate involuntarily clutched Castle's hand as the jeep took a sharp curve, close to the edge of the road. She was surprised at the speeds the driver was taking some of these turns, especially considering the dirt road—calling it that was an overstatement; it was more like a path or hiking trail—was narrow and there was a very long drop off to one side. The slope was sheer, and the fall looked rather treacherous. Though, the ground was covered in a thick patch of foliage. Tall trees arched overhead, making a canopy that blocked out most of the light.<p>

"It's like a tunnel," Castle grinned, winking at her, having way too much fun.

The driver let out a single barked guffaw, then turned the wheel sharply, steering the jeep away from the edge, and banking to the left. The engine revved as the jeep climbed up a raise and soon they were breaking through the densely packed foliage, emerging into a clearing by the edge of the ridge. The jeep rolled to a halt, and Kate released her breath, sighing in relief. She sincerely hoped they were able to get a different driver for their return trip to the Visitor Center.

As Castle tipped the driver, Kate inspected their accommodations.

The trailer—or rather trailers—stood parked along the curve of the cliff. Their home away from home consisted of two green, brown, and black camouflaged trailers, attached in the middle by an accordion belt, similar to those seen on large metro buses. On one, by a door, stenciled in white paint, was the number four. Kate pursed her lips as she took in the two trailers. Sure, they were clearly high-end, but she began to wonder if it would have been a better option to take a room in the luxury hotel not as far away from the Visitor Center and all the other attractions.

"You okay?" Castle asked, his eyes skimming over her face in mild concern. She could tell that he was eager for her approval of the accommodations he'd booked for them. This was, after all, supposed to be their romantic island getaway.

Kate gave him a quick nod, stamping down her second-guessing. If Castle wanted to 'rough it' then they'd rough it. The trailers did look bigger than she had been expecting. Perhaps this would be more like a rich man's version of roughing it, which she was totally fine with. Besides, she still hadn't yet seen the interior of the two trailers. Maybe they were more luxurious than the exteriors implied.

But before they explored, Kate needed to check on one thing.

She trotted over to the jeep before the driver could speed off. "How do we get a ride back to the Visitor Center?" she asked. Kate did not want to get stuck up here.

The driver looked at her with a friendly smile. "All the trailers are linked to the dispatch by short-wave radio. You'll find them by the door. Just call and one of us will come out to get you."

"Thanks."

"Enjoy your stay, ma'am," the driver said, tipping his cap. He gave them a wave, then turned the jeep around and zoomed back down the road, disappearing into the densely packed foliage.

Kate turned back to Castle, seeing he was already vibrating with excitement. He really was a nine-year old on a sugar rush. She adjusted her purse and dug out the keys to the trailer. She spun them around in her finger, giving her husband an amused look. "Okay, Castle, ready to check out our digs?"

XXX

All right, she had to admit, the trailers were impressive. One trailer was all living quarters. The larger of the two trailers consisted of a small kitchenette and lounge. And, much to her relief, they found their luggage waiting for them at the foot of the bed.

Kate was very pleased to discover the bathroom was not as small or cramped as she had feared it would be. Castle made no hesitation in pointing out that the shower stall was 'big enough for two'. She had rewarded him with one of her classic eye rolls and a glare, declaring it would only ever happen in his dreams, even though she knew she'd probably give in and they'd enjoy some quality time in the shower before too long.

"Alright, smarty pants, how about this?" Kate said, placing her hands on her hips and smirking at him. Why wait? They were, after all, on a romantic getaway, even if it was at Jurassic Park. She could still have some fun. "Why don't you unpack while I call Alexis and let her know we've arrived, and maybe… just _maybe_… we'll see about that shower. What do say to that?"

"Deal!" Castle agreed all to readily, pressing a quick kiss to her lips, before spinning her around and nudging her out of the bedroom and back through the accordion connector.

Kate laughed, but complied, stepping into the small lounge. Light satin curtains covered the windows, and she parted them to glance outside. She was rewarded with a magnificent view of the lake and fields below the ridge. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the stunning sight. It was beautiful. The tropical paradise that spread out before her was breathtaking. Add in the sight of numerous species of dinosaurs lingering around the water's edge, and it was a marvel beyond compare. Kate recognized the sight from the monorail ride, knowing that now she was seeing it from the other direction. If she squinted her eyes just right, she could make out the monorail track in the distance.

She quickly brought her phone up and snapped a couple of photos to share with Alexis. Since the wedding, Kate found herself making more of an effort to bond with her husband's daughter, not that she hadn't been trying before. But now that she and Castle were finally married, Alexis was family. And though Alexis was technically her stepdaughter, Kate liked to think she took on more of a big sister kind of role. Taking a few more photos, these ones of the trailer's interior, Kate plopped down into one of the comfy lounge chairs, skimming through her contacts. Hitting Alexis's number with her thumb, she leaned back and brought her phone up to her ear, listening to the ringing.

She answered on the third ring.

"Hi, Alexis," Kate smiled. "Guess where we are?"

XXX

A low electric hum filled the air as he climbed up the ladder alongside the concrete pen. Most visitors believed the T-Rex to be the most fearsome dinosaur on display at Jurassic Park, but Robert Muldoon would disagree with them. The raptors were far more deadly in his opinion. He leaned against the railing and looked down at the loading bay, watching as a group of men coaxed a reluctant bovine into a harness.

It was feeding time. He made a point of always being present.

Muldoon walked along the raised platform, arching his neck as he glanced down into the pen. He couldn't see them, hardly ever could. The dense foliage concealed them. Still after all this time, he didn't know why they still kept them alive. Hardly any visitors were given a tour of the Velociraptor Pen, except for some extremely wealthy VIPs. Muldoon didn't see the point. The beasts were too dangerous. Yet another disagreement with his employer that was unending.

The winch gears buzzed to life, and Muldoon turned his head to watch as the cow, completely unaware of her impending death, was hoisted up into the air. They used to be able to send the unknowing bovine in through the loading gate. But that was before the big female's inclusion two years ago. She had quickly become the pack leader, killing off two of the others before seizing control. She made the other beasts more aggressive. And she was clever. Too clever. She had the others attacking the fences when the feeders came. So a new method of feeding them had to be devised.

Hammond had dismissed Muldoon's concerns, saying that the lions at his wildlife park in Kenya did the same thing before they grew accustomed to their captivity. But Muldoon didn't think that was the case here. These beasts were fierce predators, and were deadly smart. They never attacked the same place twice. They remembered.

Dr. Grant had felt the same way during the inspection tour two years ago. He had questioned the wisdom of breeding raptors, but as usual, Hammond had dismissed his concerns. Now the big female had had two years to firmly establish her regime, and Muldoon was growing worried about what plots that cunning predator was concocting. He had little doubts that it wouldn't be too long until they needed to come up with another method of feeding them, so sure he was that the raptors would find some weakness in this current method.

The crane swung overhead and Muldoon narrowed his eyes, watching as the unsuspecting cow was positioned over the upper gate. A buzz sounded, and the gates retracted enough so that the cow could be lowered into the pen. The beast mooed, and disappeared into the densely packed foliage.

Muldoon gripped the railings, heart pounding in anticipation. If he was honest with himself, this part always scared the shit out of him. An eerie silence filled the air. The cow mooed, sounding anxious and afraid. It had good reason to fear. Through the thick ferns, Muldoon caught a glimpse of something move. It was fast, so quick that if he hadn't known anything was there, he would have thought it was his imagination playing tricks on him.

Nothing happened for the next three minutes. Muldoon could see nothing inside the pen except for the sway of the large ferns in the gentle breeze. The cow mooed again. And then they struck. A horrific rolling howl and sharp roar filled the early evening air, and the foliage shook violently. The cow made a pitiful sound of terror.

And then everything went still.

It was over.

XXX

Castle plopped down on the bed, a lopsided grin still plastered on his face. He shifted, propping himself up on his elbow to watch Kate finish drying off her hair. The shower had been a bit of a squeeze, but it had been fun. And it helped that his gorgeous wife was extremely flexible. He definitely hit the jackpot with her. Kate spotted him staring and shook her head, giving him a little glare.

He held up a hand in surrender. "Yeah, yeah… I know… staring is creepy," he sighed, before hopping off the bed, and shuffling through the accordion to the front trailer. Castle had been staring at Kate Beckett for almost seven years now; he knew when to back off. Though, he could tell that her glare had only been half-hearted.

If they'd been staying in a hotel room, he'd call room service and order a bottle of their most expensive wine—preferably red. Kate and red wine was a perfect combination. But room service was kind of impossible here. Fortunately for him, it didn't appear he would need wine to get his wife in the mood. Kate had been particularly voracious in the shower. She'd even bit him between his shoulder and neck, marking him. The flesh was still tender, but oh so worth it. He never did mind it when Kate marked him. He liked the notion behind it.

Rummaging around the kitchenette, Castle was pleasantly surprised to see that the small refrigerator was stocked with some fruit and vegetables, along with some cheeses and meat slices. There was a also a six-pack of Pepsi, one of Jurassic Park's major corporate sponsors, and bottled water.

Castle grabbed a grape and popped it into his mouth before closing the refrigerator and heading into the lounge. He didn't know why Kate was so worried that he couldn't handle 'roughing it' in a trailer. He'd been in some slummy trailers in his day. In comparison to those, this was a presidential suite at a five star hotel. He found some books and two sets of binoculars lying on one of the end tables in the lounge area.

He let out a sigh when he sat down in one of the comfy armchairs, surprised by the soft cushions. He chuckled. _Yeah, this is roughing it_, he thought with amusement. Picking up one of the books, he grinned, and immediately began flipping through the pages. It was one of the books Dr. Alan Grant had written for the park, detailing each dinosaur on exhibit, along with his first hand account of his trip two years ago.

"Oh, Castle."

He tore his eyes away from the paragraph he'd been reading when he heard his wife's seductive voice. She was standing in the kitchenette, all bare legs and tousled hair, looking like sex on two legs. Well, she always kind of looked like that, especially when she wore those killer heels… which she was wearing now. He gulped, taking in the white silk robe she wore, or rather the lack of. The robe was scandalous. It barely covered her.

"Yes, Kate?" he gulped, unable to conceal the unrestrained lust and arousal in his eyes as he took in her glorious form.

Kate arched an enticing eyebrow in his direction, shifting her hips slightly into a more provocative stance. "The shower was fun and all, Castle," she purred in that damn sexy voice of hers. "But I do believe you promised me that we would… _rock_ this trailer tonight."

Castle practically pounced out of the armchair, leaving the book forgotten as he lunged for his wife. Kate giggled and moaned as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her fiercely. He slipped his hands along her thighs and ass, lifting her up into his arms. Kate growled in desire, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Castle smirked mischievously, and took her to bed.

And the trailer most definitely rocked that night.


	6. Explorers

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 5 – Explorers**

* * *

><p>John Hammond leaned back in his chair, monitoring the control room. Ray Arnold was directing most of the staff while Hammond sipped his morning cup of tea. Early weather reports had a small storm system moving in, but it was nothing they couldn't handle. The power grid was fully functional, and the back-up system was placed on stand-by, just in case. Hammond didn't expect anything, but as his Head Game Warden Robert Muldoon was fond of saying, it was better to be safe than sorry.<p>

He was absently watching security footage arrayed in a series of several sectioned off windows to the left of the main central screen, which always displayed a digitally rendered map of the entire island. Hammond enjoyed the voyeuristic kind of thrill he got from observing the visitors of the park. Right now the screens were showing the breakfast crowd in the Visitor Center cafeteria. There were several families watching in line at the buffet. A rather attractive couple was stuck in the middle of the throng, but they didn't seem to mind, too absorbed in one another to care about anything else.

"Looks like we've got a pair of newlyweds with us," Hammond declared, gesturing towards the section of the security monitors that showed the couple. Arnold briefly glanced up from his work, gave a brief nod of agreement—the unlit cigarette wiggling between his pursed lips—and then ducked his head back down to the computer, punching in some commands on his keyboard.

Hammond grinned, and raised his cup of tea back to his lips for another sip. His eyes flicked up when he heard the hiss of the door. Placing the cup back in the saucer, Hammond craned his neck around to spy Dennis Nedry shuffling in. The large man waddled down the ramp and maneuvered around the various computer banks and terminals, easing down a small flight of steps until he reached his messy workstation. Crumpled up candy bar wrappers and crushed soda cans littered the desktop, and the small bin sitting off to the side of the desk was overflowing with trash. Hammond shook his head in disgust. Nedry may be a pig, but the man was a brilliant coder.

Nedry plopped down into his chair, and shoved some plastic wrappers aside, before placing a can of Barbasol between two monitors.

"Nice of you to finally join us, Dennis," he hollered down. "Enjoy your time on the mainland?"

Nedry spun around in his chair, the gears squeaking and protesting under his considerable weight. He adjusted his glasses. "Yes, John, I did," he said.

Hammond gritted his teeth, biting his tongue. He really disliked how informal Nedry was, but his skills and talents with computer programming were enough to compensate for his lack of formality. Hammond had learned to live with it over the past two years. However, today it just irked him. But before he could reprimand the man, he was interrupted by the arrival of Muldoon.

"Ah, Nedry, you're back," the game warden said, taking off his hat and tossing it down on one of the few open flat surfaces. "I was wondering when you were going to run that check on the perimeter fences."

"And some of the phones need debugging," Arnold added. "Not to mention the security system is due for a diagnostic."

Hammond pursed his lips and hid his smirk behind the rim of his teacup. It was quite satisfying to see his other employees take charge and remind the fat ass of his job. Nedry, however, did not appear put-off or aggravated by their reminders as he usually would. Instead, he flashed them all a disarmingly friendly and polite smile.

"Thanks for the reminder, fellas. I'll get right on that," he proclaimed, right after adjusting his glasses and rolling the chair back around to face his computer terminal.

Hammond knitted his eyebrows together as he stared at the large man punch away on his keyboard. He took a hesitant sip of his tea. It was odd. Something was… different about Nedry. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it. At least Dennis Nedry was no longer stalling and actually doing his job. Hammond shrugged the strange feeling off.

It was probably nothing.

XXX

"You've got our tickets, right?" Castle asked, craning his neck over her shoulder to glance down at her purse.

Kate stifled her eye roll and gave him a nod, digging her hand into the stylish leather bag and producing the two tickets for his inspection. "Right here," she proclaimed, pursing her lips and smiling at the excited glee that flashed across her husband's blue eyes.

They were standing in a small queue with the rest of their tour group. There was a father with his son and daughter—eleven and fourteen, respectively—waiting in front of them. The boy was jabbering away to his sister, telling her all about what he'd read in Dr. Grant's book. Kate smirked, sharing a knowing look with her husband. He hadn't really been able to finish the book last night after she'd surprised him with that skimpy outfit she'd purchased specifically for their island getaway. Castle winked back at her and added in a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows, before dipping his head to press a chaste kiss to her lips. Kate hummed into his mouth, and leaned back into his chest, remembering their morning.

Castle had woken up early, all but vibrating with anticipation. He had put that excited energy to good use, waking Kate up for a delicious morning round of lovemaking. They were definitely making up for a lack of a proper honeymoon. He jokingly said that they were making up for lost time, a veiled reference to his missing two months. Kate thought it was silly, but if such thinking had Castle rocking her world like he had been since they finally got reacquainted with their love life, then who was she to complain?

After sending in a call for a jeep, Kate had grabbed Castle's hand and pulled him into the shower stall with her. She had rolled her eyes at the idea last night, but she had to admit, it was fun squeezing in there together and finding ways to make it work. Neither her or Castle were shy about experimenting. And, to be honest, Kate did enjoy that awed look in his eyes whenever she demonstrated just how flexible she really was.

They had enjoyed breakfast from the buffet in the Visitor Center cafeteria. After which, they just meandered around the displays and exhibits until it was time for their scheduled Botanical Walk. Castle paid a little extra so they could have the headsets with a narration by Dr. Ellen Sattler of all the plants along the walk. Kate had looped her arm through Castle's and they'd enjoyed a nice leisurely walk through the prehistoric garden.

Kate had made reservations for them at the Tree Top Café, which was located within the Botanical Garden. Castle squealed like a schoolboy when they arrived, finding out that the entire restaurant looked like a tree house built into a large tree that appeared as if it was from the Cretaceous period. It was really a fake tree, but it looked real, right down to the small pockmarks and rough edges along the bark. The detail was extraordinary. The craftsman and artisans who had worked on it had definitely been extremely talented.

Lunch had been amazing. Castle had enjoyed a club sandwich with fries, while Kate had an almond cranberry salad with small chunks of grilled chicken… and some of his fries. The Tree Top Café had had an extensive lunchtime menu, and they had both agreed to have lunch there at least one more time during their visit. After lunch, they perused the shops and souvenir kiosks along Jurassic Boulevard until it got closer to their scheduled 2 o'clock park tour.

The queue was situated on the rear entrance of the Visitor Center, which looked similar to the front. The tall doors stood wide open, either side fringed by stone reliefs of dinosaur fossils. Before them, a road curved along the building, palm trees dotting the edge. A single track ran down the middle of the gravel road, a very distinct electric hum emanating from it.

"So which dinosaur are you most looking forward to seeing?" Castle inquired, pulling Kate out of her reverie, his hand rubbing up and down her back.

She cocked her head to glance at him with a slightly amused expression. "I know you'd like me to say the T-Rex, but I'm actually more interested in the triceratops," Kate said. "Actually, they were my favorite as a kid."

"It was the horns, wasn't it," Castle asked with a smirk and waggle of his eyebrows. "You were a _horny_ kid, weren't you?"

Kate groaned and rolled her eyes. "Really, Castle… so immature."

"You like that about me," he asserted, leaning into her side, his hand slipping further down her back until he was palming her ass.

Thankfully she was able to suppress her gasp of surprise. She gave him a little heated glare and gestured towards the children with their father. "Castle," she reprimanded him. "Save it for later… okay?"

He winked suggestively, yet obeyed, readjusting his hand up to rest against the small of her back. She rewarded his compliance with a quick peck on his cheek.

Just then, hidden speakers began playing a musical fanfare, and Kate and Castle turned with everyone else to look towards the tunnel on their left, where the rays of headlights could be seen coming out of the blackness. As the fanfare reached a crescendo, two customized Ford Explorers, painted in a stylized green and yellow camouflage, emerged from the tunnel, driverless and silent, save for the low electric hum. The roofs had been replaced with curved plexiglass, which would give riders better views of the dinosaurs on exhibit. The cars rolled to a stop, perfectly in sync with the music.

Three attendants, dressed in safari uniforms and all wearing a black cap emblazoned with the Jurassic Park logo on it, stepped out of a control booth off to the side. Two of them went over to the cars and began opening the doors, while the third walked over to the front of the queue, and unlatched the gate keeping them from the track. The father with the two kids handed the man their tickets, and they were directed to the first Explorer.

Kate dug their tickets back out of her bag as they moved up in line. She handed the attendant their tickets, and he directed them towards the second Explorer. Castle practically skipped ahead of her, shoeing away the attendant so he could gallantly open the passenger door for her. She gave him an amusing look, as she slipped past him and sat down. As soon as he closed the door, he rushed around to climb into the driver's seat besides her.

"Look at this, it's so cool!" he grinned, skimming his fingers over the steering wheel locked in place in front of him.

"The cars are fully automated, Castle," Kate said, settling into her seat. "It's not like you'll be driving or anything. They'll run along the track."

"I know," he said. "I just think it's cool."

She smirked at him, giving his thigh an affectionate pat as he curled his fingers around the grip on the wheel. He grinned like a schoolboy at Christmas. It was the same with the Indiana Jones Ride at Disneyland. During their winter vacation, they'd gone to L.A. for a meeting with some studio execs at ABC who were interested in turning Derrick Storm into a TV show. Kate was only there for the vacation and California sun. Alexis had come along, with the intention of visiting her mom. But Meredith had been too busy filming some low-budget Syfy Channel monster movie to even spend lunch with her daughter. So the trio had gone to Disneyland instead.

So, just as with the Indiana Jones Ride, Kate opted to indulge her husband's inner child. Besides, it brought out the sparkle in his blue eyes. She watched as he played with the touch screen on the center of the dashboard.

"You think we'll get this car to ourselves?" Castle questioned, glancing over at her with a mischievous smile as his eyes dropped down to soak in the sight of her bare legs. She grinned, knowing that she was driving him crazy by wearing such short shorts.

"I don't think so, babe," she said, purposefully shifting her legs enticingly, just to rile him up further. And sure enough, Castle's eyes grew dark and she noticed his fingers twitch with yearning.

He shifted in his seat, reaching across the center console to skim his fingertips along the bare skin of her legs. He began to move his fingers up her thigh, a trail of gooseflesh manifested along his wake, but before he could reach his intended destination, another couple joined them, climbing into the backseats of the car. Castle quickly pulled his hand back, and Kate released a breathless sigh, both in relief and disappointment.

"Hello, I'm Sally," a buxom blonde in a tight pink shirt beamed, extending her hand. "And this is Todd. We just got engaged!"

"Hi," Todd casually waved as he buckled himself in, definitely not as enthusiastic about announcing it as his fiancée was.

"Congratulations," Kate shook Sally's hand. "I'm Kate, and this is my husband, Rick."

Castle smiled at the young pair, and shook Sally's proffered hand. Her brow furrowed as she looked at him. It only took a moment for realization to strike.

"Oh my god, you're Richard Castle, aren't you!?" she squealed in delight, and Kate narrowed her eyes as the high-pitched sound threatened to burst her eardrums. Sally's fiancé gave her an apologetic look as the blonde continued to squeal elatedly.

"Guilty as charge," he grinned, pulling out the classic Castle charm.

Sally looked like she was about to swoon. Todd looked annoyed. Kate was about to intercede when, fortunately, the car speakers began filling the car interior with music, and the attendant's voice broke through, listing off the safety instructions. Everyone settled back into their seats and listened. After the attendant finished, there was an electric thrum, and the Explorers started to move forward.

Castle reached across the center console and Kate took his offered hand, interlacing their fingers together as they sharing an excited look.

A recording of John Hammond's voice came through the speakers as the Explorers rolled on, following the curved road around the small lagoon, heading towards a tree line and the densely packed foliage that surrounded the track.

"_This is John Hammond, Founder and C.E.O. of InGen Bioengineering_," Hammond's recorded voice spoke to the riders. "_In just a few moments, you will be transported back in time, to a world were dinosaurs ruled the Earth. The voice you will soon be hearing is Richard Kiley. We've spared no expense_."

The cars rolled on down the track, tropical plants on either side. The musical fanfare spilled out of the car speakers. Up ahead of them was a large gate, the two enormous pillars topped with blazing torches. As they approached the gates, the voice of the late Richard Kiley—who must have recorded this narration before his death—broke through the music as the large gate parted for the Explorers.

"_Welcome to Jurassic Park_."


	7. Tour

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 6 – Tour**

* * *

><p>There wasn't much after the enormous gate, which disappointed Castle. He had been expecting something awesome immediately following their passage through the gate, but instead the pair of Explorers rolled passed a grove of low, stumpy palm trees. He glanced over at Kate, who shrugged. Soon, his confusion was answered by Richard Kiley's narration.<p>

"_Notice, first of all, the remarkable plant life that surrounds you. Those trees to your left and right are called cycads, the prehistoric predecessors of palms trees. Cycads were a favorite food of the dinosaur. You can also see—_"

"Didn't we learn all this during the Botanical Walk?" Castle asked, scowling like a little boy being told he couldn't have cake for breakfast.

"Shh," Kate shushed him, giving him a little glare in reprimand. She then softened her rebuke, by reaching across the center console and giving his thigh a reassuring pat.

Castle sighed, and leaned back into his chair, flicking his eyes down to the center console where the touch screen was displaying more information about the various prehistoric plants Richard Kiley was talking about in his narration. He wanted to see dinosaurs, not plants. _Who cared about some stupid old plants?_ Castle grumbled to himself, crossing his arms and staring out at the stumpy palm trees as the cars drove past them.

"_Most dinosaurs were not as large as people think_," Richard Kiley's narration filtered back into his hearing. "_The smallest dinosaurs were no bigger than a house cat, and the average dinosaur was about as big as a pony. We are first going to visit one of these average-sized animals, called Hypsilophodon. If you look to your left, you may catch a glimpse of them now._"

Castle perked up at the mention of dinosaurs, and shifted in his seat, pressing his face against the driver's side window as he tried to find the dinosaurs Richard Kiley mentioned amongst the tropical plants. The Explorers slowed to a stop on a low rise. There was a break in the foliage that provided them a view of the field below. He squinted, but couldn't see anything. Castle moved over a little as Kate unbuckled her seatbelt, and stretched across the center console. He placed a hand on her arm to steady her as she looked out his window.

"Do you see anything?" he asked.

Kate narrowed her eyes and her eyebrows knitted together adorably. "No, not yet," she gave him a sideways glance. "Do you know what these… Hypo—hyposil—fo—dons look like?" she asked, struggling through the dinosaur's name.

"_Hypsilophodon_," Castle enunciated. "And no. I've never really heard of them, though I did see the name listed in the Jurassic Park Dinosaur directory."

"I don't get it," Todd groaned from the backseat. "It's just a bunch of stupid trees."

Though Castle was inclined to agree with the young man, he wasn't so quick to whine as Todd appeared to be. Sally shushed him, her high-pitched voice grating on his ears. He shared a look of shared sympathy with Kate, whose ears were also affected by the young woman's piercing voice. The dashboard touch screen was currently showing more information on the Hypsilophodon, including some pictures. Castle arched his neck, squinting his eyes at the image currently on display.

"Trees!" he exclaimed. "That's it. In the trees!"

"In the trees?" Todd questioned from the backseat. "Dinosaurs in trees?"

Castle ignored him and turned back to scan the field, this time paying particular attention to the trees. He still could not see anything, and he pursed his lips together, trying to hide his growing pout.

"There!" Kate said, pointing towards a cluster of trees in the upper left quadrant of the field. "Halfway up that big green trunk."

He shifted, twisting his neck, and squinted, narrowing in on the area Kate had indicated. Damn. She had good eyes. In the dappled shadows of the swaying tree a motionless, dark green animal about the size of a baboon stood on a branch. "Creepy," Castle murmured. "It's just sitting there. Where do you think the rest of the herd is?"

Kate shrugged, shifting to place her hand on his shoulder for better stability. He tilted his head slightly and took in her wide eyes and amazed gaze. He smiled softly to himself, pleased that his wife was actually enjoying herself… even if the dinosaur was just sitting there staring out at nothing.

"Kind of reminds me of you," Kate said with an amused smirk. "You know… with the creepy staring."

"Hey," he protested with a huff, frowning at her.

"Oh! It's moving!" squeaked Sally, and Castle and Kate cringed at the piercing sound, silently praying that their eardrums could survive the afternoon.

The small dinosaur stretched its neck, opening its jaw. Even from this distance, they could hear the long nasal call it made. It then turned around on all fours, using its dexterous forearms to steady its balance as it scrambled down the tree. Within moments, six dinosaurs appeared at the base of the tree trunk, all about the size of a large deer. The heads were a dull green, with a mottling of dark browns and blacks that extended down their slender necks. All of them seemed to be chewing, like a cow would with its cud. The small dinosaur they'd seen first hopped down from one of the lower branches of the tree and joined the others.

"That one must be a juvenile," Castle said.

One of the larger hypsilophodons reached up with its five-fingered hand and scratched its head. The gesture gave the creature and almost pensive look. Its dark eyes scanned the field, lingering on a moment on the two green and yellow explorers, before glancing away. It stretched its neck up and issued a low nasally call, and soon the small group were on the move.

The electric motor of the car started up, and there was a grinding of gears. At the unexpected sound, the herd of hypsilophodons suddenly leapt into the air and bounded above the grass like kangaroos, showing their full bodies with massive hind legs and long tails in the afternoon sunlight. In a few leaps, they had disappeared into foliage.

"_Now that we've had a look at these fascinating herbivores_," came Richard Kiley's voice over the speakers, "_we will now move on to some dinosaurs that are a little larger. Quite a bit larger, in fact._"

Kate shifted back into her seat as the Explorer began to roll forward. Castle kept her steady with one hand. She buckled herself back in and flashed him an appreciative look. He smiled, overjoyed to see the sparkling in her eyes. Kate Beckett's inner child was showing.

XXX

Ray Arnold sat at his workstation in the darken control room staring at the large monitor on the left, absently chewing on the unlit cigarette in his mouth. The afternoon park tour had just departed from the hypsilophodon paddock. "Gears are grinding," he said out loud. "Have maintenance check the electric clutch on vehicle D7 when they come back."

"Yes, Mr. Arnold," replied a voice on the intercom.

"What's up next, folks?" he called out to his staff.

"Stegos and Trikes, Ankylosaurus, followed by Dilophosaurus, and then Rex," one of the tour supervisors called out.

"Right," Arnold nodded, momentarily playing with his unlit cigarette, before putting it back between his pursed lips. He rolled his chair over to a second batch of monitors. "Vehicle headlights should not be on," he said, tapping the erasure end of his pencil against the screen. "It'll drain the car batteries." He rolled his chair back and arched his neck to glanced down at Dennis Nedry. The large man was studiously working on something—for a change. It was odd seeing the man so focused on his work. "Hey, Dennis…"

Nedry looked up. His glasses slipped down his nose, and he reached up to push them back up. "Yeah?"

"Can you check the tour program and see why the headlights are operating in daytime?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Arnold," Nedry smiled, and Arnold felt a cold shivering sensation dance up his spine. It was an eerie sight, seeing Nedry being so polite and formal, eager to please. The large man went back to his work, his fat fingers typing furiously over the keyboard.

Arnold shook his head. As long as Dennis Nedry did his assignments on schedule, he couldn't care less about what had brought upon the man's sudden efficient work ethic. Still… it was damn peculiar.

XXX

She was on cloud nine. Kate couldn't keep the excited grin off her face, even if she wanted to. They'd just watched a herd of Stegosaurs and Triceratops intermingled peacefully at a watering hole. Amongst the larger creatures, little tri-horned juveniles had scampered around the adults' feet, darting back and forth as if they were playing a game. It was one thing to see the fossils, but quite another to witness living, flesh and blood, versions of those very same creatures that had once only existed in her imagination. It really was miraculous.

"Rick," she said, reaching out across the center console to grab his hand, giving it a slight squeeze to gain his attention. He looked up from the touch screen, which was still running information on the Ankylosaurus—one of the other dinosaurs they'd just seen lumbering around the valley beneath the bluff that the Explorers had stopped on.

"Yes?"

"I… this… I just wanted to say thank you," Kate said after she took a breath.

"For what?" his brow furrowed adorably, making him look like a confused little boy.

She gave him a small smile, and ducked her head, playing with his fingers. "At first, I was a little annoyed that we weren't spending our tropical island getaway on some remote island in the Maldives, but… after… after seeing that, I just want you to know that I'm glad you talked me into this trip."

"It was the triceratops, right?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "Little ten-year-old Kate Beckett got to see her favorite dinosaur in the flesh, is that it?"

Her cheeks blushed a light pinkish hue, betraying her. "Yes," she admitted softly. "And it was amazing. So, again… thank you for talking me into this."

Castle's lips quirked up into a smirk, and his eyes twinkled. "It's what I'm here for, eh?" he chuckled. "What are husband's for, if not to talk their wives into going on ridiculous vacations?"

Kate laughed lightly and shook her head at him, before beckoning him closer for a soft kiss. He hummed into her mouth, moving a hand up to cup her jaw, rubbing her cheek with the pad of his thumb. He then did that thing with this tongue that always made her moan. She eagerly parted her lips for him, and he deepened the kiss. It wasn't until Todd cleared his throat from the backseat that Kate remembered that they weren't alone in the Explorer. She ducked her head, and bit her lower lip, trying to stifle the blush as she settled herself back down into the passenger seat.

Castle winked at her, and she laughed, rolling her eyes at him as he pantomimed steering the Explorer along the curve in the road. Just above the treetops, they could make out the curved dome of the Jurassic Park Aviary in the far distance. The glass glittered in the afternoon sunlight. The cars took another turn and came to a stop at the top of a low rise, where there was a break in the foliage. Kate turned and glanced down at the sloping field broken by a river.

"_To the right, you will see a herd of Dilophosaurus_," Richard Kiley's voice announced.

It really should not have surprised her, but it did, when Castle practically tore his seatbelt off before scrambling over the center panel and pressed his face up against the passenger side window, stretching over her. Kate chuckled, shifting in her seat to give broad shoulders room to squeeze in. Playfully knocking their heads together, they looked out at the riverbed below.

"See anything?" Castle inquired.

"Nah, nothing," Kate hummed, keeping her eyes peeled. There were a lot of beautiful plants, and the river flowing through the sloping field was an idyllic view to be sure, but there was no sign of a herd of anything.

Meanwhile, Richard Kiley's voice continued: "_One of the earliest carnivores, we now know Dilophosaurus is actually poisonous, spitting its venom at its prey, causing blindness and eventually paralysis, allowing the carnivore to eat at its leisure. This makes Dilophosaurus a beautiful, but deadly addition to Jurassic Park._" His narration was followed by a ludicrous melody of corny scary music, that made Castle snort in amusement. Kate pursed her lips, but couldn't prevent them from tugging up in shared mirth.

The cars stood still for several minutes, the corny music continuing to play through the speakers. But there was nothing. Castle jabbed his palm against the console in frustration and retracted, plopping back down into his seat. Kate reached up and rubbed her hand along his shoulder, soothing him. "Don't pout, you big baby," she consoled, finding his little boy expression a little funny. "According to the dashboard screen… T-Rex is next."


	8. Lights Out

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 7 – Lights Out**

* * *

><p>"What's this I hear about a storm?" Hammond inquired as he strolled down the ramp, leaning heavily against his cane with each step.<p>

Arnold looked up from the computer monitor, the unlit cigarette bobbing in his lips. He stood up to meet Hammond on the raised platform in the center of the darkened control room. He gestured towards a large monitor to their right, which showed a detailed Doppler radar of the small island chain and the west coast of Costa Rica.

"That storm center hasn't dissipated or changed course," he said. "We were hoping it would, but it seems Mother Nature has a different plan. We're going to have to cut the tour short, I'm afraid. Pick it up again tomorrow where we left off."

"That's unacceptable," Hammond grounded out. "We have paying customers. We can't just go around rescheduling the park tours because of some bloody storm."

"It's a big one, John," Arnold tried again, using his employer's first name so that the man would understand the severity of it. "Similar to the one that hit us during the inspection two years ago. We got lucky then, but it's not worth taking a chance… especially with paying customers."

"Fine," Hammond grumbled, obviously disappointed. "I'll have to tell Miss Hemshaw to set up a new rotation for the tours."

"It's for the best, sir," Arnold reassured him, stepping back over to his workstation to pick up his phone. "I'll give Muldoon a call. He's probably going to want to ensure that we batten down and secure some of the pens."

Hammond turned around, glowering. If there was one thing he loathed more than a meeting with his Board of Directors, it was disappointing paying customers. He had made Jurassic Park for them. He wanted to share InGen's discoveries with the entire world. He jammed the butt of his cane against the floor and cursed. "Damn!"

XXX

The Explorers curved around a large river while Richard Kiley's voice informed them of the River Ride Adventure attraction. According to his narration, park visitors would soon get to ride a raft down the river through the habits of the more docile herbivore exhibits. Castle turned to Kate with a grin and waggled his eyebrows.

"That sounds fun," he asserted. "We'll have to come back when that attraction opens up."

Kate replied with a noncommittal shrug. "Sure, and maybe we could make it a family thing. Bring Alexis and Martha."

"Hmm," Castle hummed in thought, rubbing his chin. "I don't know about Mother, but Alexis would definitely be game. Ooh, and perhaps Lanie and the boys might be interested. It would be nice to spend some time together other than at crime scenes."

Kate inclined her head, really liking the idea, much to his relief. "Yes, Castle, that sounds good. We should discuss it when we get back home."

Castle reached across the center console and took her hand in his, quickly interlacing their fingers, just wanting to hold her hand. She pursed her lips and smiled back at him. His eyes sparkled and hers locked with his. Castle slowly rubbed the pad of his thumb across her knuckles, and Kate returned the gesture. He could feel the mutual love and respect pulse between them. It still stunned him that a woman such as Kate Beckett would actually want to be with him, to love him. For a time, Castle was ashamed to admit, he'd actually given up on the idea of true love. But when he met Kate Beckett, his world changed. She was everything he didn't know he was looking for. And he supposed it had been the same for her.

"This is so boring," Todd complained from the back, breaking the sweet moment between husband and wife. Castle nearly groaned out loud, wishing he'd been able to talk the park attendant into letting them ride alone in the Explorer. Kate didn't even try and suppress her eye roll as the man continued. "We haven't seen any cool dinosaurs yet. Just stupid plant eaters!"

"Ah, come on, honey," Sally tried to soothe her fiancé with her high-pitched voice, grating on everyone's ears. Castle glanced back at the couple through their reflection in rearview mirror. Even Todd looked annoyed at her voice. He seriously hoped the young man knew what he'd signed up for when he'd proposed to the woman with the piercing voice.

Castle tried to block them out as the started to bicker. He exchanged a look with Kate and she furrowed her brow, reaching up with her free hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. Besides the couple sharing the Explorer with them—well, more precisely Todd, Sally was okay, except for her high-pitched voice—the tour had been rather enjoyable. As he leaned back in his chair, trying to focus on listening to Richard Kiley's voice—he was now telling them about the different theories on the tyrannosaur behavior that had now either been proven or disproven—Castle noticed that fat droplets of water were starting to pebble the windshield. He arched his neck and flicked his eyes up towards the looming gray clouds slowly forming overhead.

"Looks like one hell of a storm's brewing," he said, glancing over at Kate with an amused tug to his lips. "Get it… _storm's brewing_?"

Kate rolled her eyes.

XXX

Hammond shifted his weight in the chair, spinning his amber topped cane around in his fingers, staring at the ancient mosquito trapped within the amber. He was absently aware of the hubbub around him as the control room staff worked to prepare the island for the oncoming storm.

"I've had the maintenance crews get to work at preparing the emergency bunkers," Arnold informed him, pulling him out of his malaise. "Just in case."

"Better to be safe than sorry," Hammond inclined his head, repeating Game Warden Muldoon's oft-said motto. He frowned and stamped his foot in frustration. "Rotten luck, this storm."

"We'll weather it," Arnold assured him, "just like the others." He leaned over his workstation, checking on something. A wiry grin had his lips curling up, and he twirled the unlit cigarette in his fingers.

"What is it?" Hammond asked, his brow furrowing as he arched his neck and squinted, trying to make out what was on the computer screen.

"I found a way to re-route through the tour program," Arnold said, placing the unlit cigarette back between his lips. "After the Rex stop, the cars will turn around in the rest area loop." The phone rung on his desk and he picked it up. Hammond absently listened to Arnold's half of the conversation. "Muldoon's on his way back," Arnold informed him after he hung up. "The raptor pen is bunkered down and secure, running on the back-up generators."

"You don't think we'd lose power, do you?"

"Just being safe, sir," Arnold said, rolling his chair over to another computer at his workstation. He typed in a few commands, and rolled back, giving Hammond a soothing look. "It could be worse, John. It could be a lot worse."

Hammond nodded in agreement. Out of everything that could have happened, a small storm wasn't too bad. And, in the scheme of things, doing a reschedule of the park tour wasn't really that big of a deal. "We'll give them a voucher for a free lunch at the Tree Top Café," he suggested. Arnold gave an absent nod.

"Anybody want a Coke?" Dennis Nedry asked as he stood up, shaking slightly as he zipped up a large pale blue jacket around his rotund form. "Anybody want something from the machines? A soda or something? I thought I'd get something sweet."

Hammond and Arnold both shook their heads, equally puzzled by Nedry's nervous ramblings. The big man started to leave, but then stopped, turning back toward them with what have must be an afterthought.

"Oh, I finished de-bugging the phones," Nedry babbled out so fast that his words nearly slurred together. "And I've started running that diagnostic on the security system that you asked for. So the system's compiling for eighteen minutes… or twenty. So, some minor systems may go on and off for a while. There's nothing to worry about. Simple thing…

"Okay, Dennis," Hammond interrupted him. "We get it. Go get your soda."

Nedry nodded, and turned back around to one of the computers at his station. He typed something, and then grabbed the can of shaving cream, shoving it into his jacket pocket as he huffed up the small steps and shuffled up the ramp towards the security door. He was gone before anyone took notice.

XXX

Robert Muldoon drove his jeep down the long ramp and into the basement garage underneath the Visitor Center. It was beginning to rain out there. He'd made sure that the raptor pen was locked down and secure. The big female was a clever girl, and it wouldn't be the first time that she'd try something during a storm. He wanted to be prepared for such an occasion. Still, if he had his way, they'd put the bitch down and be done with the lot of them. Unfortunately, his employer did not see it the same way.

He turned his jeep to the right, and the wet wheels squealed against the dry concrete as he expertly parked the jeep into one of the empty slots in the garage. Killing the engine, Muldoon pulled the keys out of the ignition. For a moment, he remained in his seat, not for the first time contemplating accepting Hammond's job offer.

Muldoon had hunted big game in Africa, providing rich weekend warriors with a taste of the safari. During the lull between hunting seasons, he had found employment at Hammond's park in Kenya as a game warden. Part of him wished he was still there, but at the time, when Hammond had first mentioned the idea of Jurassic Park, the challenge of supervising some of the deadliest predators that had ever existed had been too enticing.

Sighing, knowing it was a little too late to second-guess his career decisions, Muldoon popped the door open and climbed out of the jeep. Stepping out of the parking slot, he spotted Wallace, one of the chaperon drivers, talking with another driver.

"No, I'm telling you," Wallace was saying. "It was Richard Castle. You know, the guy who writes those crime novels."

"You sure?" the other driver said.

Wallace nodded. "My ex-girl friend was really into his books. She really liked them. She forced me to stand in line with her at a signing once."

"Isn't he married to some New York cop or something?"

"I don't know, but if he is, he certainly found the hottest one," Wallace said. "I'm telling you, she was like a model. Long legs, perfect figure… and damn… she had the best ass I'd ever seen."

Muldoon narrowed his eyes, overhearing their conversation. If Mr. Castle and his wife really were guests, Muldoon didn't like them gossiping about them like this. He cleared his throat, catching their attention.

"Hey, Wallace, can you fill up my jeep?" he asked, but it was more of an order.

"Sure thing, Mr. Muldoon," Wallace said, accepting the keys as he tossed them to him.

Muldoon stalked across the parking garage, leaving the two men behind him. From the glare he shot them, he was certain they knew he'd overheard their conversation, and had disapproved. He headed for the staff elevator. He pulled his keycard out of his pocket and swiped it through the security panel. The monitor blinked on and his picture flashed across the screen, before the elevator dinged and the doors rattled open. He stepped inside, adjusting his jacket, and punched the button for the control room, ready to stand watch for the duration.

XXX

Dennis Nedry waddled down the hall, occasionally glancing anxiously over his shoulder. He shook his arm, and tugged down the sleeve of the jacket, uncovering his wrist. His eyes narrowed in on the watch. "Almost there," he mumbled to himself, and picked up the pace, pumping his thick legs.

He moved around the corner and let out a small sigh of relief when he found a silver door labeled: _Embryonic Cold Storage_. He bent down, pressing himself against the wall, and proceeded to slowly shimmy along the concrete wall until he was right up next to the door. He flicked his eyes up through the plexiglass window in the center of the door, seeing the security camera slowly rotate back and forth. Shaking his arm, he tugged the sleeve of the jacket back again, and checked his watch.

"Five, four, three, two… one."

On cue, the security lock panel went dark, and the security camera stopped, the red light indicating active status winking off. Nedry grabbed the large flat door handle, pulling it out, and opening it. The door opened with a hiss. He shuffled through, hurrying into the freezer. Reaching inside his jacket pocket, he pulled out the can of Barbasol shaving cream.

Nedry headed over to the cooler, unscrewing the can as he went. Shivering from the chill in the storage freezer, he rushed over to a flat-topped pillar situated in the middle of the room that was labeled with the words: _Viable Embryos – Handle With Extreme Care_.Nedry ran his tongue along his lips in a nervous fashion as he pulled the lever, and the seal on top of the pillar popped open with a hiss, white mist issuing out around the opening. A lighted column with slotted compartments rose up from the opening.

Each slot was marked by the name of a dinosaur, _Stegosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Pteranodon, Triceratops, Velociraptor_, and _Tyrannosaurus Rex_ to name a few. Nedry quickly set to work taking the thin glass slides out of the rack, one by one, and depositing them within the waiting slot in the shaving cream can that Dodgson had provided him with. Collecting enough specimens, Nedry pushed the lever back into position and watched as the column lowered back into the pillar. The top hatch closed with a hiss.

Exhaling and seeing his breath fog in front of him, Nedry hurried back to the door, screwing the shaving can back together as he went. He grabbed the flat door handle, tugged it up and the door slid open. He quickly shuffled through it and rushed down the hallway, huffing and puffing, cheeks pink. He cut around the corner and headed for the garage.

XXX

Ray Arnold pulled a lighter out of his pocket. He was just about to indulge in his daily cigarette when something on the computer terminal caught his attention. His brow furrowed in puzzlement as red and blue lines along a map of the Visitor Center started blinking off in succession.

"What the…?" he mumbled, the unlit cigarette dropping from his mouth.

Hammond lowered his cup of tea as he raised his eyebrows in question. Muldoon, who had returned from checking on the raptor pen, stepped over, scowling down at the computer screen with a confused expression.

"What is it, Ray?" Hammond asked.

"The door security systems are shutting down," Arnold informed them.

Hammond shrugged his shoulders and raised his teacup back to his lips. "Well, Nedry said a few systems would go off-line, didn't he?"

XXX

Thunder sounded in the distance. The dark clouds were now covering the late afternoon sun and the rain was now coming down in thick droplets, smacking against the windshield. It had only taken a second or two after the first signs of rain before the automatic wipers started whishing back and forth over the windshield. The headlights illuminated the track ahead of them, the Explorer in front of them just barely visible through the thick downpour.

Castle sighed, and leaned back into his chair. "I don't think we'll get to see the T-Rex in all this rain," he pouted, sticking out his lower lip. Kate gave his knee a sympathetic pat.

"This is bullshit, man," Todd grumbled in the backseat. "They better give us something after this shit."

"Honey, calm down," Sally tried to soothe him. Todd mumbled something under his breath, and gratefully went quiet.

The Explorers broke out of the dense foliage, rolling up alongside a curved electrified fence. Off to the right of the tall fence, stood a sign informing them that they'd arrived at the Tyrannosaur Paddock. Both cars slowed to a stop. And Richard Kiley's voice filtered through the speakers, providing them with further information on the Tyrannosaurus Rex. "_Here we'll see the famous 'Tyrant King' of the Cretaceous. It is interesting to note that—_" Kiley's narration suddenly went silent and the touch screen display on the center console winked off, going dark. The low electric hum that had come from the electric track along the center of the road ceased.

"Did… did the power just go out?" Sally asked from the backseat, the waver of distress unmistakable, even through her high-pitched voice.

Castle glanced around, his brow furrowing as he exchanged a look with Kate. "The headlights are still on," he shrugged.

"They could be running off the batteries," Kate suggested. She shifted forward, bringing her hand up to the center console. Castle watched as she pressed a circular button with a stylized question mark on it. Nothing happened. She pressed it again. And again… nothing. She looked up at Castle, her hazel eyes filling with worry. "The intercom is out."

"Great!" cursed Todd. "Now we're stuck in the middle of a storm."

Castle shook his head, ignoring the man as he continued to rant, Sally doing her best to calm him. Kate kept trying to get the Jurassic Park internal "OnStar" button to work, but it was futile. The power was out. Castle tilted his head and gazed out the side window, staring up at the tall fence curving along the side of the road. A tight knot of anxiety formed in the pit of his stomach. Something wasn't right. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was definitely something wrong. He narrowed his eyes at the fence, arching his neck up to look at the very top edge. His eyes went wide when he saw it.

"Oh shit."


	9. Big Rex

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 8 – Big Rex**

* * *

><p>Kate glared down at the center console, gnawing anxiously on her lower lip as she held her finger over the intercom button just above the touch screen, praying that a cheery operator from the Jurassic Park Visitor Center would answer at any second. But there was nothing. She tried a couple of more times, all to no avail. The headlights were still on, running on the car batteries, but the power that had once been humming through the metal track along the middle of the road was gone. The power was out.<p>

She flickered her eyes up to Castle. He was no help. He just sat in his seat, staring out driver's side window at the tumult of rain outside. He mumbled something that sounded like "Oh shit" just as she was about to make another attempt at raising an operator via the intercom system built into the Explorer's front dashboard. That was when she felt the tremor.

It happened again, and Kate frowned, raising her eyes to the rearview mirror, watching as her reflection vibrated as she felt another mild tremor.

"What's that?" Sally inquired from the backseat. "Did anyone else feel that?"

Kate glanced back at their riding companions. Sally was clutching Todd's hand tightly in hers. "Maybe it's the power trying to come back on," Kate offered with a shrug. In truth, Kate really didn't know what it was, but she could not deny the uneasy feeling that suddenly manifested in the pit of her stomach. Castle remained completely still, his mouth agape as he stared up through the windowed car roof. "Rick?"

She watched as he swallowed and lowered his eyes back to her. She almost gasped when she saw the trembling look of fear in his eyes.

"The power's out," he stated dumbly, his voice flat and emotionless.

"Uh-huh," she bobbed her head. "I think we all sort of guessed that."

Castle slowly raised a hand, extending his pointer finger, and gestured out the window. "Electric fence," he stammered out.

Kate frowned, flirting her eyes back and forth between her husband and the tall, electrified fence that curved along the side of the road where the two Explorers had come to a halt. And then it hit her.

The fence.

The _electric_ fence.

A low rumbling roar filled the air, and it was then that Kate realized that the tremors she had felt were not signs of the power trying to kick back on, but of a prehistoric large predator, brought back to life by unthinking scientists, approaching the fence line. She gazed out of the plexiglass roof, and through the thick rain, she could just about make out the outline of the King of the Dinosaurs.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex stood maybe twenty-five feet high, forty feet long from nose to tail, with an enormous, boxlike head that must have been five feet long itself. It was of a dark gray hue, with some browns mixed in along its underbelly. Bloody remains of its latest meal—a small goat, from the look of it, hang from its massive jaws. The tyrannosaur stood still for a moment, before tilting its head back and swallowing what had remained of the animal in one single big gulp.

And then, someone was shouting, overwhelmed and terrified. Whoever it was, Kate couldn't blame them. She was scared shitless by the sight of the fearsome tyrannosaur, now gazing down at the two parked vehicles with an unnerving interest. The shouting and crying got louder, and Castle pulled her eyes away from the dinosaur to exchange a confused look with Kate. She shrugged in reply, just as puzzled as he was, but then she caught a glimpse of a frantic man wearing a light brown jacket run past their car. He was soaking wet and screaming his lungs off, but he was running fast. Very fast. She followed him with her eyes, seeing him rush towards a sign, on the opposite side of the road, which displayed the universal symbol for a restroom. He soon disappeared down the path.

"Where the _hell_ is he going?" she asked out loud, turning back towards Castle.

He shrugged. "When you gotta go, you gotta go," he answered with a cheeky grin—albeit much more subdued than normal—and she reached out for his hand, knowing that humor was his coping mechanism. He squeezed her hand in return.

It wasn't until she pulled her eyes away from her husband's, and glanced out the rain smeared windshield, that she noticed that the passenger side door on the Explorer in front of them was wide open. If she strained her ears just enough over the drumming noise generated by the pouring rain, Kate could barely make out the startled cries of the children. She remembered back to when they had been waiting in the queue for the tour. The lead Explorer had been taken by a father and his two kids, a boy and girl—eleven and fourteen, respectively.

"Oh my god," she muttered under her breath, exchanging a look with Castle. From the look in his eyes, she knew he had hit upon the same thing. "He left them. What… what kind of father abandons his kids when they need him most."

"Bastard," Castle growled.

"Whoa… whoa… whoa!" Todd shouted in the backseat, quickly gaining their attention as he frantically pointed out his window. "It… the dino's touching the fence."

"What!?" Kate exclaimed, craning her neck to look out the driver's side window. Sure enough, the tyrannosaur was nudging his nose against the previously electrified wires of the fence. It pulled back, its massive jaws opening. The tyrannosaur roared, and then lunged at the fence, its razor sharp teeth snapping the wires.

"What's it doing?" Sally cried.

"I… I don't know," Castle stammered out, squeezing his hand tighter around Kate's. They looked at one another, his eyes large with fear. Kate quickly closed the distance, not knowing what else to do, and kissed him soundly.

"I love you, Rick," she said softly, her voice quivering in fear and uncertainty, not knowing what was to come.

"Kate… oh, Kate," Castle breathed out, running his trembling hand down the side of her face. "I love you, too. So… so very much." She kissed him again, fingers curling into his shirt.

Outside along the rain swept road, the fence creaked and groaned under the agitated tyrannosaur's assault. It wasn't going to hold up for much longer. The fence was beginning to buckle. The post bent, and it was only a matter of time before it could no longer support the weight. It swayed precariously for a moment, but miraculously held. The tyrannosaur let bellowed out a low growl, lowered its head and rammed into it again. This time, the post gave way under another impact from the massive bulk of the gigantic beast. The tall post collapsed with a crash, falling down across the road between the to cars, bouncing violently against the track, no sparks or flashes of electric energy burst forth. Kate needed no further proof that the power had gone out.

"My God!" Castle exclaimed, all his boyish excitement at seeing the legendary King of the Dinosaurs gone. "Look at the sheer size of it!"

Panic filled her as the barrier completely gave way. The tyrannosaur snarled loudly, arching up to snap its powerful jaws around the other post. The metal groaned and twisted. The goliath seemed to be pleased. It shook its head, and bellowed, asserting its dominance, as it strolled out onto the road. The ground shook with each step it took. The tyrannosaur stopped in the center of the road, and lowered its head, sniffing the toppled post lying across the track. Seeming satisfied that it had vanished its foe, the prehistoric beast roar.

"Jesus!" Todd cried from the backseat.

Kate's chest was heaving as her heart pounded with each breath. The tyrannosaur's roar was earsplitting and heart stopping. It was one of the most terrifying sounds she had ever heard, raw and primeval. The kind of fear that coursed through her veins was ancient, born from a primal dread from human kind's earliest days on this Earth.

Castle's hold on her hand tightened. "Stay still," he instructed.

"What?"

"Its vision is based on movement," he said.

"And how do you know that, Mr. Writer?" scoffed a disbelieving Todd, reaching his breaking point. Sally immediately tried to admonish him, but he was having none of it. "You a dino expert now? Last time I checked, you just write pulp fiction for a living. Just nothing but made up nonsense if you ask me."

"I read it in that book Dr. Grant wrote," Castle spoke calmly, ignoring Todd's belittling of his work. Sure, Richard Castle's novel may not be literary masterpieces, but that man did do his research. And he could tell one hell of a good story.

"Yeah, but wasn't that all just theoretical?" Kate asked in a quiet voice, her eyes still trained on the tyrannosaur. Thankfully it was still keen on gnawing the fallen fence post. "Castle, I don't think now is really the time for theories." She cringed. It had come out harsher than she'd intended.

He flashed her hurt eyes, and she gave him an apologetic look, squeezing his hand in contrition. But before she could open her mouth and say anything, they felt the Explorer jerk. Sally whimpered from the backseat. Kate gasped in startled alarm when she noticed that the tyrannosaur was now close. Very close. It was nudging the front of their Explorer with its snout. With each bump of its nose, the Explorer shook.

"Stay perfectly still," Castle murmured, keeping his voice quiet.

Kate held her breath, her heart pounding profoundly within her chest. It was beating so hard she was almost concerned it would jump right out of her chest. Every muscle in her body tensed as she held still. She had never been more grateful for the many hours of yoga she'd practiced. It helped with centering her core energy and sustaining fixed positions. After his return from the hospital, Kate had roped Castle into doing a few postures with her. He bitched and moaned about it, but he couldn't deny the results, especially now.

Risking a glance in his direction, Kate was pleased to discover that even with only doing the bare minimum with her on the yoga mat—he got distracted easily—Castle was fairing better than she'd expected. With his lips pursed and sealed, his chest rose and fell with each breath through his nose. He was rock, back ramrod straight as he held his position. Kate had to admit, she was proud… and a little impressed.

Just as it looked like the tyrannosaur was losing interest with them, a beam of light from a high-powered flashlight shot out from the back of the other Explorer.

"No, no, no," Castle hissed. "Turn it off. Turn it off."

But it was too late.

The tyrannosaur raised its head, growling low, as it turned to gaze menacingly across at the other car. Kate's heart thumped in her chest as she mimicked Castle's pleas for the kids to turn off the flashlight. The beam of light bounced around, turning this way and that. It was enough to entice the tyrannosaur. It roared, turned fully away from their vehicle, and stomped over to the first car.

"The kids are alone in there!" Kate exclaimed, gasping out a breath, turning to meet Castle's panicked eyes.

"We've got to do something," he agreed.

"What?" Todd frowned. "What the hell can we do?"

Kate furrowed her brow, unable to answer that. She glanced back at Castle, seeing his brow scrunched up in thought. Outside the tyrannosaur snarled. The deep low rumbling sound caused the hairs on the back of Kate's neck to stand on end. She flickered her eyes back up, noticing that the door to the other Explorer had been closed. The flashlight, however, was still on. It kept bouncing around. And like a cat with a laser, the tyrannosaur followed the beam of light around. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed what was happening as the flashlight shifted angles, pointing straight up through the plexiglass roof of the car.

She wanted to do something, but she was helpless, forced to watch as the tyrannosaur lowered its massive head through the glass door, roaring and snarling. The screams of the two children could be heard even through the heavy drumming of rain. Castle banged his hands against the steering wheel, no doubt feeling just as useless as she did. Sally was crying softly in the backseat, clutching Todd, her head buried in his chest.

They watched in horror as the tyrannosaur attacked the Explorer like it was prey. It gripped the frame with its powerful jaws and shook the car violently. All the remaining glass shattered, and the tyrannosaur pulled back, lowering his box-shaped head. Using its massive bulk, the tyrannosaur flipped the car over. Metal crunched and shattered under the beast's powerful assault. The tyrannosaur attacked the car's underside, gnawing and gnashing at the piles and gears. The children continued to scream, crying for help.

"Kate!"

She turned her gaze away from the horrifying sight. Castle's eyebrows were raised and his eyes were wide. Oh, she recognized that look. He'd thought of something. "What is it?"

Before answering her, Castle quickly undid his seatbelt and gripped the headrest, pulling himself up out of his seat. "It was something I read in Dr. Grant's book before we…," he glanced at Kate, quirking one eyebrow, leaving the rest unsaid. She nodded. He climbed through the gap between the front seats, squeezing past Todd and Sally into the rear compartment. He bent his back and ruffled around in the trunk before finding whatever it was he was looking for. Kate heard a plastic snap, like something was popping open, and then Castle was crawling back into the front seat with what looked like a flare.

"Oh no," she shook her head, already guessing his intent.

"Oh yes," Castle bobbed his head. "It's the only way. We have to save those kids."

Kate bit her lower lip, reluctant to let Castle take the risk. She glanced back out through the windshield. Dissatisfied with the underbelly of the Ford Explorer, the tyrannosaur was now chewing on one of the tires. Opening its massive jaws, the beast lunged at the tire. The metal clanged loudly as it bent under the pressure. Its razor sharp teeth sunk into the rubber. Retching its head back, the tyrannosaur ripped the tire off the car, sending the rubber tube flying into the air. Now satisfied, the King of the Dinosaurs placed a large three clawed foot on top of the overturned car, and reared its head back as it roared in triumph, the sound reverberating throughout the air, making the ground tremble.

"Fine," Kate snapped, snatching the flare from Castle.

His eyes went wide in shock. "What? No, Kate… don't," he began to object. But before he could finish, she was already popping open her door and climbing out into the rain.

Kate gasped as the rain pelted her from above. It was like being stabbed by tiny little daggers. Bringing a hand up, she flicked her already soaked hair out of her eyes and stepped forward, ignoring Castle's pleas for her to get back in the car. Heart in her throat, body trembling with complete and utter fear, Kate stepped away from the car, not entirely believing she was doing this.

She snapped the top cap off the flare, and ignited it. The smell of sulfur hit her nostrils and she released a breath. Kate planted her feet firmly in the ground, giving herself a silent prep-talk. She recalled all of her Academy training and all her long talks with Dr. Burke about fear, the power it could hold, and how to master it. She steeled her gaze, and glared out at the tyrannosaur gnawing at the chassis of the rolled over Explorer.

Kate took a deep breath, summoning up all her courage. She hoped Castle was right about that vision based on movement thing.

"Hey!" she shouted, waving the lighted flare in the air above her head. "Hey!"

It worked. The tyrannosaur tilted its head up and looked at her. It roared, and Kate shivered in fright from her head to her toes. She could feel the fear deep down in her bones. She gulped down a breath of moisture heavy air, and shouted at it again, gaining the prehistoric monster's full attention. Slowly, she began to wave the flare back and forth, and damn if the tyrannosaur's large black eyes didn't follow the red light back and forth.

_This might work_, she thought, trying to think positively.

After one final sweep, now positive that she had its complete attention, Kate used all her strength to hurl the sparkling red flare away from the road and back into the park enclosure. The tyrannosaur took the bait, letting out a bellowing roar and went pounding after it. Kate stood perfectly still, holding her breath so that even her chest didn't move with the intake of air. She watched the tyrannosaur approach the concrete barrier, preparing to step over it and back into its paddock… and away from them.

Kate could vaguely hear what sounded like an argument coming from the car behind her, but she ignored it, praying it wouldn't distract the tyrannosaur. She heard a smacking sound and a thud, and the car rocked slightly, though, fortunately, not enough to capture the dinosaur's attention.

And then someone was jumping out of the car. She clenched her jaw and hoped to God that it wasn't Castle trying to do something brave, because if it was, she'd kill him.

"Hey! You, ugly face! Over here!"

Kate turned with incredulous disbelief, grounding out in frustration when she saw Todd igniting another flare. What in the hell did the meathead think he was doing!?

"Todd!" she yelled over the din of rain, not bothering to hide her disapproval and anger at him. "Freeze! Freeze! Get rid of that flare!"

He shook his head, ignoring her sound advice.

"Get the kids!" he shouted back, slowly stepping backward, grinning like he thought he was the hero of the hour.

And before she could even respond to that, Todd was waving the flare above his head and gaining the tyrannosaur's attention. It seemed to like this game, roaring delightfully as it changed course, stomping towards the idiot. Todd held the flare up into the air as he ran for his life towards the foliage and the path that would supposedly lead to the restroom where the kid's father had rushed off to earlier. Kate stood there, shaking her head at the utter stupidity of the man. He was going to get himself killed. For his sake, the restrooms had better been built of solid reinforced concrete. The ground quaked as the tyrannosaur chased after him, and soon the dense jungle engulfed the pair.

After letting a second or two pass, Kate stalked back to the car, yanking the door open to find Castle nursing a rapidly developing black eye. Sally was silently sobbing, trembling all over. Ignoring Castle for the moment, she turned to attempt to comfort the stricken young woman. But before Kate could reach her, Sally was shoving her aside and darting off in the same direction her idiotic fiancé and the killing machine that was the Tyrannosaurus Rex had disappeared.

"What the hell happened?" Kate growled out, beyond frustrated, not that she blamed Castle. From the look of the bruise forming around his eye, he'd put up a good fight.

"Todd wanted to be the hero," he groaned, accepting Kate's proffered hand as she climbed out of the car and into the pouring rain. Kate grabbed his head in her hands and held him still as she examined the bruise. "Well?" he asked tentatively.

"Pretty butch, Castle," she smirked.

"Yeah?" he gave a small humorless laugh. They both sobered quickly when they heard the cry of the children. "Someone better go after her," Castle said, speaking of Sally.

"I'll go," Kate offered, narrowing her eyes, decision made. "You get those kids."

He nodded, and she moved to leave, but Castle grabbed her arm, stopping her. Her eyes flicked up to his, and they said more in that single gaze than could ever be said in hours of conversation. Castle pulled her back to him and claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss. "Be careful," he murmured when they parted.

"You too," she replied, taking a moment to caress the side of his face with her fingertips, gazing into his eyes with all the love she had for him and taking comfort in seeing it reflected back, before she pulled away and ran after Sally and her idiotic fiancé… and a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex.


	10. Chaos

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 9 – Chaos**

* * *

><p>Castle stood there in the rain, watching as Kate ran after Sally, disappearing down the jungle path that supposedly would lead to the restrooms, Todd… and a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex. His chest heaved with each massive breath. He blinked slowly, trying to calm the worried palpitations of his heart. He couldn't help but worry. But his wife was a fierce and strong woman. She could take care of herself, and he felt confident that she would not take any unnecessary risks. Taking one last calming breath, Castle turned and darted across the road, skipping over the metal track, and sprinting towards the overturned Explorer.<p>

The car had been brutally torn apart. The chassis was ripped and the wheels were bent. Several metal pieces stuck out at odd angles, the edges jagged and sharp. Castle blinked, wiping the rain out of his eyes. He skidded to a stop, dropping to his knees to glance down into the car's interior. One of the kids, the girl, was squirming in the mud that was slowly feeling the cabin.

"Hey, I'm here," he called out over the din of rain. The young teen looked up and relief flooded her dirty face. Castle scrambled closer to her, and bent his back, grabbed her hand. Mindful of the torn and jagged metal, and the shattered glass, Castle gently pulled the girl out from under the wreckage. When he got her out, her wide terrified eyes looked up at him pleadingly.

"He left us, he left us," she cried, tears running down her face.

Castle pulled to his chest, rubbing her back reassuringly, before pulling back and brushing her matted blonde hair away from her face. "That's not what I'm going to do," he assured her. "I gotta help your brother now. Okay?"

She nodded, seeming to just barely acknowledge his words. Castle inhaled deeply, and dropped back down to his knees, craning his neck so he could glance underneath the wreckage and locate the boy. He heard a grunt, and spotted him. He was covered in mud, nearly blending in with it.

"I'm stuck," the boy grunted.

"Okay, okay," Castle said, his eyes flirting around until he spotted the boy's foot wedged between the edge of what had been the Explorer's back window and the ground. "Just don't struggle. I'm going to help you." He furrowed his brow as his mind started to work on a solution.

But his thoughts were interrupted when the teenage girl started to scream. Castle scrambled back on all fours, moving as fast as he could. He reached her quickly, and placed a hand on her quivering shoulder, attempting to calm her. But then he heard and felt an impact tremor. Turning his head, Castle's eyes went wide when he saw the massive bulk of the tyrannosaur as it lumbered out of the jungle foliage. It shook its box-shaped head, and sniffed at the air. The teen cried again, and the tyrannosaur tilted its head in their direction.

Moving fast, Castle put a hand over the girl's mouth, stifling her screams, and held her close to his chest. "Don't move," he hissed out with as much conviction as he could, though truth was, he wasn't entire sure if it was fact or not. After all, he never finished reading Dr. Grant's book. "It can't see us if we don't move."

The tyrannosaur reared its head back and roared. It was a deafening sound. Castle tried with all his might to keep his muscles from trembling with fear as the prehistoric monster stomped towards them. He closed his eyes, and inhaled through his nose in an attempt to calm his nerves. Chasing after criminals with Kate was one thing, but coming face to face with one of the most famous predators in history was another. When he opened his eyes, he was met with the horrifying sight of the Tyrannosaurus Rex standing right in front of them.

It silently opened and closed its powerful jaws. Its nostrils flared as it sniffed the air. Castle kept his hand clamped over the teens mouth. Her entire body was quivering against his, and he was worried they might have to make a run for it. The tyrannosaur's snout swung in their direction, stopping just inches from his face. Castle could feel the heat of its breath as it inhaled and exhaled. He bit his tongue to keep himself from screaming in complete and utter terror.

The beast pulled back, seemingly satisfied with whatever it had smelled. Castle started to relax, thinking they'd been lucky. But then the tyrannosaur was lowering its head and snarling, nudging the back of the overturned Explorer with its snout. The car groaned as it spun, and Castle and the teen had no choice but to move. The mighty prehistoric king growled in delight, cocking its head and narrowing its eyes as it caught sight of them cowering behind the bent wheel.

From inside the wreckage, the boy started crying, shouting out for help. The tyrannosaur shifted, arching its neck to glance down at the Explorer. The boy screamed when the tyrannosaur roared. It stepped forward, bobbing its head up and down as if it were playing some game with the trapped boy. Castle's heart pounded in his chest as he frantically tried to think of something to do. He still had the teen girl clutched to his side, sobbing hysterically as the tyrannosaur continued to play with the boy.

There was nothing he could do. They were all trapped.

The tyrannosaur was growing tired with the game. It nudged the car, attempting to flip it back over. The boy's cries and screams only encouraged the beast further. With each nudge of the tyrannosaur's mighty snout, the beat-up overturned Explorer was pushed back, forcing Castle and the teenage girl to move with it. He arched his neck over his shoulder, and groaned. They were being herded towards the edge of a sheer cliff.

Metal scraped and screeched as the tyrannosaur pounded against the car, pushing it up against the concrete barrier to the paddock. Trapped between the concrete and the car, Castle was left with very little options. Gripping the teen's hips, he heaved her up onto the top of the barrier. Still terrified, but somewhat calmed, the girl reached down to help him climb up after her. She immediately latched onto him when he found his balance.

The tyrannosaur bellowed loudly, angry. It was definitely pissed off. It rammed against the car, sending it up over the edge of the concrete barrier. Castle and the girl stumbled back, very nearly falling over the edge into the jungle canopy below.

"Hang on," Castle shouted over the cacophony of noise, grabbing at the teen, and holding her close as the tyrannosaur pushed the car closer to the edge. All the while the boy continued to scream. Castle wished there was something he could do, but he was useless against the sheer awesome power of the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

He stumbled back, his eyes dropping for a moment. It was like fate was watching over them, because in that moment, he saw the loosed cable wires that had once made up the electrified fence. There were moments during his shadowing of Beckett and assisting in homicide investigations when Castle would swear it felt like a light bulb would flash on above his head and he would be struck with an insanely brilliant theory or idea. This was one of those moments.

"Hold on, and don't let go," Castle instructed the girl, as he bent his knees and encouraged her to latch onto his back.

The teen hooked her legs around his middle as she scrambled up onto his back, squeezing like a vice, and looped her arms around his neck. He grabbed the cable wire, grimacing at the knowledge his soft writer's hands would probably get torn to shreds, and carefully eased over the edge of the barrier in a slow descent. The thunderous roars of the tyrannosaur hovered over them as it continued to assault the Explorer. Within minutes it would be tumbling over the edge.

Castle gritted his teeth and grunted as he braced himself against the sheer concrete wall. He hissed out a breath as he slowly worked at rappelling down towards the jungle floor. He made a mental note to thank Kate for talking him into tackling a rock-climbing wall during one free weekend. The girl desperately clung to his back, whimpering softly as she watched the car holding her brother inching closer and closer to certain doom. His palms hurt like hell, and he knew the cable was eating into his hands, but he wouldn't let go. He worked through the pain, slowly moving down and away from danger.

There was one more mighty roar from their oppressor, and then the headlights of the car were tipping over the edge of blinding them. Castle hissed out a breath and used all his strength to swing them out of the way as the Explorer plummeted by them.

"Charlie!" the girl sobbed, her arms tightening around his neck, nearly cutting off his air.

Swinging them back around, Castle glanced down just in time to see the car crash into the tops of the trees below. The teen's head dropped against his shoulder as she cried, her tears mixing with the heavy rain pounding against them. Somewhere above them, the Tyrannosaurus Rex was roaring in triumph. Castle could swear he felt a headache coming on as he gradually continued their slow descent.

XXX

The control room was filled with an uproar of noise. It was chaos. Alert klaxons blared, and the security monitors flashed. Warning and error messages kept popping up on computer screens. Almost every station seemed to suddenly be malfunctioning.

"What the hell is going on?" Hammond questioned, leaning heavily on his cane as he stalked down the ramp to join Arnold on the central platform.

His chief control officer looked stricken, staring disbelievingly at the large flat screen in the center of the room. It displayed the operations map of the island, and over half of it had blinking red lines around the outlined sections.

"Ray!?"

"Park systems are going down," he stammered out, plopping down into his seat and punching the keyboard. "WiFi is down. Hardline phones are inoperable. Security fences are going down, not all… but a whole lot of them are down." Arnold pushed his glasses up onto his forehead and closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What!?" Hammond asked, growing frustrated. "Is it the storm? Is it affecting our system?"

"No," Arnold shook his head, putting his glasses back in place. "It's not that. This storm isn't as bad as the one we had two years ago. It's something else."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, I'd have to…," before he could finish his sentence, Arnold was already standing up and rushing down the stairs towards Dennis Nedry's station. Hammond shuffled after him, grunting with the effort to make it down the stairs to catch up. Arnold sat down at Nedry's station, and glanced around at the mess with disgust. "Look at this station. What a complete slob!" he murmured, before just shoving the trash off the desktop and onto the floor. He then turned his attention to one of Nedry's work terminals.

"Ray," huffed Hammond, coming to a halt behind him, leaning heavily on his cane. "What the hell is going on?"

"Fuck," Arnold cursed, running his hand over his thinning hair. "It looks like some virus has infected the network, and it's systematically working its way through the entire mainframe. I can't do anything to stop it. It's too sophisticated. Beyond my expertise."

"Well, where the hell is Dennis? Its his job to stop this sort of thing from happening," Hammond said, looking around. Several of the other control room staff just looked on dumbly. "Well!? Someone find him. Check the vending machines!"

Muldoon pushed off from his perch on the railing, stepping down to join them. He crossed his arms over his chest as he peered down at the computer code Arnold was scanning. "What about the raptor pen?" he asked.

Arnold furrowed his brow as he typed in a command that brought up a window that displayed all the dinosaur paddocks security systems. "No, no… it's still on. But… shit, half the park is out. The perimeter fence, and the individual paddock fences along the main park tour are out."  
>"The Explorers?" Muldoon asked, his eyes narrowing.<p>

"Stopped… Oh God… they stopped right in front of the tyrannosaur paddock."

Muldoon was moving before he could even finish his sentence. Hammond spun in place and watched him dart up the stairs, snatching up one of the radios and hooking it to his belt, before he jogged up the ramp and grabbed his SPAS-12 shotgun off the gun rack.

"What are you doing, Robert?" Hammond demanded.

"Someone's got to go out and check on those people," Muldoon jabbed a finger in the air, pointing at the large monitor displaying the operational map of the island. "They're sitting ducks for the tyrannosaurs."

Hammond shook his head. "It's just the female, remember? We transferred the male along with the juvenile to Site B last weekend."

"Even worse," Muldoon growled, checking the cartridges in his shotgun. "You've paid billions to make them, yet you don't even bother to learn anything about them, do you?"

"Well, I never—"

"The female is the alpha," Muldoon interrupted, gritting his teeth in frustration. "She's bigger, and stronger than the male. And she's just had her baby ripped away from her. She won't be happy."

"Look, she's just an animal," Hammond shrugged his shoulders, not sure what any of that had to do with anything.

"Ray?" Muldoon called down to Arnold, ignoring his boss.

Arnold gave a nod. "Go get them, Robert," he said, before turning his attention back to Nedry's computer terminal, trying to work out how to call up the system diagnostic program the computer programmer had been running. "Damn it, Nedry… where are you?"

XXX

_Voom! Voom!_

The rain was heavier now. But being in the hooded Jeep, Dennis Nedry was protected from it. He pressed his foot down hard on the accelerator. The window wipers were moving across the windshield at top speed, giving Nedry the little visibility he had. He glanced anxiously at his wristwatch, cursing. He was running late. If it weren't for this stupid storm, he would have already made it to the dock, where Dodgson's man was waiting.

Nedry pulled the wheel left as he made a sharp turn. The dirt road had taken on a lot of water and a puddle was hidden in the darkness. He gripped the wheel as the car hydroplaned. And, not thinking, Nedry rammed his foot down on the brakes.

He lost control of the car. It went wide, spinning in circles. Nedry was tossed around inside, and he wished he had buckled his seat belt. The spinning seemed to last forever. Suddenly, it stopped with a metallic screeching noise. Nedry received one final jerk forward before the car went completely still.

His head was lying on the rim of the steering wheel. As he sat up he felt a pain in his leg. He reached his hand down, and squeezed his thigh. Damn. He must have pulled a muscle or something. And the upper part of his forehead, above his right eye, was bleeding. Other than that he was okay, or was he? He glanced down at the internal compass on his digital wristwatch. He was facing west now, the opposite direction he wanted to go. Nedry squinted out the windshield. His eyes darted across the hood, noticing that it had been crunched in. He held his breath. The mechanic rumble of the engine could still be heard. The car was alive. That was a start. But what had crushed the hood in?

His question was answer very quickly. A big three-toed foot came down on the hood, this time completely smashing the interior. There was a burst of sparks and the engine died.

_Oh shit_.

He quickly kicked the door open and tumbled into the foliage.

The dense fronds and palms of the jungle surrounding the service road engulfed him immediately. Behind him, he could hear the roar of the tyrannosaur. But he did not look back, he kept moving forward, huffing and puffing with each step. The wet fronds slapped him as he moved as quickly as he could through the jungle, scratching at his face. One frond snapped back so hard it knocked his glasses off. Cursing, he dropped to his knees with a groan, blindly groping around in the wet ground.

Time was critical, and he really couldn't afford to waste it. Tentatively, he heaved himself up with a grunt, using a fallen tree trunk as leverage. "I can afford new glasses," he muttered, thinking of the huge payout that awaited him once he delivered the Barbasol shaving cream can with the dinosaur embryos hidden within. He checked his digital wristwatch again, checking the built-in compass. He knew he wasn't too far from the dock. If he hurried, he should make it in time.

He stopped after what he thought was an eternity of scrambling through the wet, muddy, foliage. He leaned on the side of a nearby tree trunk, heaving in deep gulps of air. At least the tyrannosaur hadn't given chase. Instead he could hear the car being smashed and ripped apart. So he probably wasn't as far from the road as he thought he was. He really wasn't built for this sort of thing. His feet hurt, and his legs ached. All he wanted to do was sit down and rest. But he couldn't.

Shifting his bulk, Nedry turned, taking a step forward, and gave a sudden cry of surprise. Where there should have been ground, there was only air. He fell on his ass and tumbled down the steep slope, hitting the trunks and branches of the small trees that made the slope their home as he feel. The tough thicket of underbrush scratched and ripped at his clothes, some cutting gashes on his face and arms. As he continued to slide down the muddy slope, he attempted to grab the occasional branch to stop his descent. All unsuccessful.

Eventually he reached the base of the slope, collapsing face first into the meandering stream at the bottom of the hill. His face was gushing with blood from the freshly cut wounds and his entire body ached from the fall. _This is so not fair_, he thought. Groaning in agony, hurting all over, Nedry used the last of his strength to roll over onto his back, resting his head in the soft muddy bank of the stream, allowing the soothing babble of the creek to lull him into unconsciousness.

XXX

Castle leaned against the side of the concrete wall, chest heaving as he recovered from the exhaustive rappel. He glanced down at Zoe. The teen had curled in on herself almost the moment they touched solid ground, sobbing. He did his best to soothe her, but he knew there was really nothing much he could do except offer up platitudes, which were useless at a time like this. He wiped at his brow, and pushed off the wall, and stumbled along the knotted and gnarled roots of a big tree. He glanced up, spying the crushed Explorer.

"Charlie!?" he yelled the boy's name.

Zoe sniffled and blinked her eyes, looking up. He turned back, and offered a hand. She gave him a weak smile of thanks as he helped her up. She stumbled alongside him as they approached the base of the tree.

"Charlie!" she cried out, silent tears running down her cheeks. "Charlie, can you here me?"

Nothing. There was nothing but the pitter-patter of rain against the tree canopy above their heads. Castle was just about ready to give up, when suddenly a small cry echoed out from the treetop.

"Zoe!"

"Charlie! Charlie!" she shouted up, her eyes flooding with relief and hope. She stumbled forward, but tripped on one of the roots.

Castle helped her up to her feet, running a comforting hand along her arm and shoulder. "I'll get him," he said, as he made to move forward, when suddenly Zoe stopped him. She was clutching his arm tightly, her grip a vise nails digging into his bicep.

"Don't leave me," she pleaded, trembling all over, eyes wide with terror.

Castle turned towards her with sympathetic eyes. After they'd reached the ground, and before she'd shut down, he had managed to get her name and some small bit of background out of her. The coward who had ran when the children needed him most was their stepfather. He only really brought them to Jurassic Park as a favor to their mother.

Castle pulled the girl into an embrace. "Shh," he soothed. "I'm right here, Zoe. I'm going to look after you. But I have to help your brother. I want you to stay here and wait for me, okay?"

"He left us… he left us," she stammered out.

He cupped her face in his hands, and looked her straight in the eye. "That's not what I'm going to do," he asserted, leaving no room for debate. Her bottom lip quivered, but she caught it with her teeth, biting down on it as she nodded in understanding. "Good." He planted a kiss on her forehead, and then settled her into the culvert sticking out of the concrete wall.

Castle then turned towards the big tree, with its impressive branches and hanging vines. He took a deep breath, once again thanking the fates that Kate had talked him into those rock-climbing lessons.

"Alright, Rick," he muttered to himself, placing his hands on his hips. "Time to get your hero on."


	11. Between A Truck And A Long Fall

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 10 – Between A Truck And A Long Fall**

* * *

><p>Kate kept her breathing steady as her feet pounded against the hard ground. She had run cross-country in high school, and had always been a good runner. Her mom had attributed it was because of her long legs. Kate was inclined to agree.<p>

She followed the dirt path through the densely packed foliage, trying to keep her mind clear and focused on the task at hand. The last couple of minutes had been truly terrifying. Kate was ashamed. She had been in so much awe of the sheer power of this place that she forgot to respect it. And now that power was out, and a prehistoric predator was on the loose. There was a part of her that just wanted to turn around and run back to Castle.

The tyrannosaur had doubled back not long ago, forcing Kate to conceal herself in the thick shrubs along the side of the pathway as she watched the fearsome beast lumber back in the direction she had come. And though she was fiercely worried for her husband—Castle was always first in her thoughts—Kate had to carry on. She couldn't just abandon Sally and Todd. Besides, even if he hadn't always followed her directions when he had been shadowing her, Castle was no fool. She had to trust that he could take care of himself. She respected him. She loved him. She believed in him.

Even so, Kate couldn't help but worry. A Tyrannosaurus Rex was a whole lot different than the usual assortment of villains she and Castle had dealt with over the years.

Rushing out into a clearing, Kate came to a stuttering halt as she stared in horrified disbelief at what once was the restroom. Bloody gore was everywhere. The thick palms that had been used to create a thatched roof were smeared in crimson blood, and other bodily viscera. She swallowed heavily as she took in the scene, pausing for a brief moment, as she often did when approaching a crime scene, to honor the victim.

"Kate!"

It was Sally calling her name. Kate snapped out of her ruminations, and maneuvered around the debris until she found the blonde woman huddled over her battered fiancé. Todd was lying flat on his back, groaning in pain, his right leg clearly broken.

"What do we do?" Sally asked frantically, tears leaking down her face.

Falling back onto her training, Kate instructed Sally to removed Todd's belt while she found a splintered plant they could use as a splint. Using the plank and the belt, Kate made a makeshift tourniquet. Todd let out an agonizing whimper when she tightened the belt around his thigh.

"That should do until we get you some proper medical treatment," Kate said, her focusing shifting back to the chaos around them. Her eyes landed on the bloody palms and what remained of a man. "What—?"

"That guy… the one with the kids," Sally interrupted before she could finish her question. "The T-Rex charged Todd, knocking him against that tree, and went… went smashing into the restroom. The building… it… it just crumbled. And there he was, just sitting there on a toilet, exposed and vulnerable." Sally shook her head, more tears flowing down her face, unable to say anymore.

Kate simply nodded, reaching out to put a reassuring hand on the other woman's shoulder, not requiring anything more to be said to know what had happened. Those poor kids.

Sniffling, Sally wiped at her nose. "What should we do?"

Kate opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, an ear-splitting roar echoed in the distance, followed by the terrible sound of metal scratching across concrete. If it wasn't for Sally and Todd, Kate would have immediately jumped up and ran back down the path to the main road. But she couldn't. These two needed looking after, especially Todd. Gritting her teeth, and trying her best to stifle the all-consuming concern that was flooding her system, wanting to seize control of her whole body, Kate bent down and wrapped her fingers around one of Todd's arms.

"I need you to help me," Kate hissed out to Sally. "We need to move him."

"Is that wise? I mean… his leg's broken."

Todd groaned, arching his neck up off the ground. "Do what she says, babe," he asserted through clenched teeth, fighting the pain. "We're sitting ducks here."

Sally gave a quick nod of her head, and rushed around to Todd's other side, shifting his arm over her shoulder, and helping Kate lift him off the ground. Todd leaned heavily on them, needing their support to stand. He breathed through his nose, and glared ahead.

"Remind me to ask for a refund when we get back."

XXX

Castle took a deep breath, steeling up his courage, as he started his climb up the tree. Needless to say, it had been a while since he had climbed a tree, but luckily for him, it was a good climbing tree. Its branches were thick and regularly spaced. The rain had finally started to taper off, making it easier for him to sure up his grip and find his footing. He was certainly fitter than he was a year ago, and he had Kate to thank for that. She was, after all, nearly ten years his junior, so he had to take care of himself if he wanted to keep up with her.

Checking his footing, Castle glanced up at the beaming headlights, trying to judge the distance. It was a long climb. But he was moving at a good pace. Keeping his breathing steady, and forcing himself to concentrate on the task at hand—and not on what could be happening with Beckett—Castle slowly ascended up the side of the tree, staying as close to the trunk as possible. One branch was rotted and nearly snapped under his weight, but fortunately, he had already been moving on to the next foothold.

He twisted his torso, and reached up for the next branch, heaving himself further up the tree. The car had crashed in the upper most reaches of the tree, tangled in broken branches and vines. He planted his foot on a branch and heaved himself up, ignoring the twinge of pain in his right knee. He gritted his teeth. He'd never live that damn skiing accident down. It was his own damn fault, really. He had been trying to impress Beckett, when, in fact, there had been no need to do so. Though, he had enjoyed the benefits of having his gorgeous then-girlfriend now wife—it still felt so amazing to say that—take care of him, and sneakily throw him an awesome surprise birthday party in the process.

Yep. She was pretty extraordinary. And he was one lucky guy.

Finally, after what felt like an exhaustive climb, Castle reached the battered SUV's level, on the driver's side, five or six feet to one side of it. The car was in rough shape. The Tyrannosaurus Rex had crushed most of the top. And the front was completely smashed. The front wheels were driven solidly into the thick branch that thankfully still supported the bulk of the car's weight, holding it in place.

Shifting himself in the branches alongside the car, Castle craned his neck to peer inside. "Charlie? Charlie?" he called out, but got no response. Castle curled his fingers around the branch above him and gently inched closer to the suspended car. This time he was close enough to see inside.

Charlie was huddled one the floor of the passenger side, frightened, hugging his knees to his chest. Castle could hear his sniffling, and watched as Charlie wiped at his nose with the back of his hand. The car creaked as Castle shifted closer, placing a tentative hand on the busted door. Charlie looked up at him with a tear and blood-streaked face, a splattering of mud matting his hair.

"Who… who are you?" his voice was barely audible.

"Rick Castle," Castle introduced himself. "My wife and I were in the other car."

"Zoe?" Charlie asked, his voice still soft.

"She's fine," Castle assured the boy. "Zoe's fine. She's waiting for us back down on the ground."

"You… you're not going to leave us?" he asked, clearly traumatized. "Like Mike?"

"No," Castle shook his head, again cursing these kids' stepfather. "I won't. I'm here to help. And I'm not going to leave you."

Charlie nodded and went quiet again. "I… I threw up," he admitted mutely.

"That's okay," Castle reassured him, moving closer, gently opening the driver's side door. The whole car groaned at the shift, but thankfully remained still. Castle eased his head and torso through the opening, his eyes darting all over the interior, taking in the damage, and extended his hand towards the boy. "Listen, give me your hand."

Charlie remained seated, and didn't move, except to drop his eyes to the floor. The boy looked ashamed, and Castle sighed.

"I won't tell anybody you threw up," Castle told him, hoping that that would ease the boy's mind. "Just give me your hand, okay?" He reached out for him again.

Charlie finally moved, stretching out his arm, but they were still about a foot apart. Castle crawled further through the door. He groped around for a handhold. His fingers latch onto the steering wheel for support, and he pulled himself further into the car. As he moved, the wheel unexpectedly turned, almost causing him to slip. The car frame creaked and shifted, the snapping of a branch or two sounding out amongst the drip of leftover droplets of rain bouncing down through the tree's leaves.

Castle's heart nearly jumped up into his throat when the car shifted, and he now had to work at suppressing the panicky thumping in his chest and ears as he stretched out his hand for the young boy. Charlie reached out, accepting his proffered hand. Slowly, Castle guided Charlie crawl across the dashboard and steering wheel. He ducked out of the car, moving cautiously slow as he listened to the metal groan with the shift of weight.

Ducking out first, Castle established a firm grip on a branch above his head, shifting his weight to keep balance, as he directed Charlie through the battered doorframe. The boy stood up awkwardly on the inside of the door, and Castle held onto him, getting an arm securely around his waist as he pulled him off the wreckage and onto a thick branch besides him. He waited until Charlie had found his footing and was grabbing onto another branch before beginning the climb down.

Castle risked a glance down, and immediately had to look away. Okay, this was going to be a lot harder than he thought. Climbing up was one thing, but climbing back down was going to be something else entirely. He was not really afraid of heights, yet even he could not deny that if either one of them slipped, it would be a long way down.

Turning his focus back on Charlie, he tried to put all the worse case scenarios out of his mind. Sometimes it didn't help being a bestselling author. With some slow guidance, and a lot of patience, Castle was able to maneuver them down a couple of feet, before they had to stop.

"See…," Castle hedged, glancing at Charlie. "Just one branch at a time. It's not so bad, right?"

"Yes it is."

Castle placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's just like coming out of a tree house. Did your dad ever build you a tree house, Charlie?"

"No," the boy frowned.

"Me too," Castle sighed, momentarily thinking back to his own childhood and the lack of a father. He wondered how much different he would have been if Jackson Hunt or Anderson Cross—or whatever his real name was—had actually been a part of his life. Shaking his head, he decided a long time ago he was better off. He didn't need a father. He had Kate, Alexis, and his mother. That was all the family he needed. Well… and whatever additions he and Kate made to that list in the future.

"Mike was never really into doing that sort of stuff," Charlie continued, seemingly needing to talk to cover up his nervousness. Castle could relate to that. "He only spends time with Zoe and me because my mom tells him too."

Castle nodded absently. "Okay, well, the main thing about climbing is never… never look down. Never."

Of course, once he told him not to look down, Charlie did just that. "This is impossible," he protested, voice wavering with fear. "How am I going… I can't make it, Mr. Castle. This is… it's about fifty feet."

"Well, I'm going to help you with your footing," Castle said, squeezing the boy's shoulder reassuringly. "We'll go nice and slow, one branch at a time."

"What if the car falls?"

"It's not going to fall."

Just then, the car groaned, weighing down on the thick branch holding it up. The branch sagged in their direction, and the headlights flash down blindly on them. Castle squinted as he glared up at the car, his breath leaving his lungs in disbelief.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath as the branch creaked and groan under the pressure. He turned back to Charlie. "Go, Charlie. Go. Go!"

The boy's eyes widen in terror, but he did as he was told. They begin climbing down, as fast as they could, while the big branch that had been supporting the car creaked, soundly close to snapping in two, ready to give away at any second. Adrenaline pumped through Castle's veins, and he urged Charlie on. His heart thumped loudly in his ears as he frantically glanced around, looking for some space along the tree where they could move out of the path of the soon to be oncoming car. But there wasn't any. The other half of the tree was brittle and dry. It only seemed like this one side had sturdy branches that would support their weight.

Castle arched his neck up to glance at the car, just in time to witness the branch break. Disintegrated would be a better word. It literally shattered into thousands of splinters. And the car came straight at them, knocking out and snapping smaller limbs as it fell.

"Oh, shit," Castle cursed. "Faster! Faster! Go!"

And they did, but certainly not with the grace of experienced climbers. Oh no. Letting go of the branch they'd been holding on to, both Castle and Charlie fall, thudding into another branch a few feet further down the tree. The car crashed down, smacking violently into the branch they had just vacated. Mercifully it stopped there.

"Move, move, move!"

Finding their balance, Castle helped Charlie back to his feet, and then the two of them continued down the tree as fast as they could move. It was obvious from the start that neither were very good climbers. Truth be told, Castle was amazed they'd managed to outrun the car so far. They continue half climbing, half falling down the tree, small branches and twigs snapping into their faces, shoulders bumping against thicker branches, frantically just trying like hell to get out of the way.

Soaked from the rain, they move clumsily. At one point Castle almost slipped on a resin-covered branch, but Charlie managed to grab the sleeve of his shirt. It was just enough to steady him. Above them, the second branch splintered, cracking loudly. With a groan, the SUV smashed and crashed down through a network of thinner branches, headed right for them. It hit an open space and went into free fall.

"Not good," Castle huffed out, losing focus for a split second, and nearly stepping into thin air. He ducked his head down, and squeezed his fingers around another branch, closing his eyes as the car tumbled down towards them, preparing himself for the end.

But then, by some miracle, the car stopped again, this time slamming into a thick branch just above him with a resounding thud. Castle blinked his eyes in astonishment, utterly mystified by the fact he was still alive. Flirting his gaze up, he found himself eyeball to eyeball with the front grill.

However, the new branch started to creak almost immediately.

"Mr. Castle!" Charlie shouted urgently, snapping Castle out of his stupor.

He moved quickly, slapping his hands against the closest branches for support as he vaulted downward. His movements were inelegant, and if this had been an Olympic gymnastic competition, he would no doubt get a zero. But survival outweighed the beauty of form.

Castle checked on their progress, letting out a breath of hope at the sight of the jungle floor. They could make it. He encouraged Charlie on, leaping from one branch to the next, the car bashing its way through right behind them. Castle grabbed Charlie's arm as they maneuver around a tightly pack group of branches.

"We can make it if we jump?"

"What!? Are you crazy?" Charlie shrieked.

"Just jump!" he ordered, securing his hold on the boy, and together the two jump the remaining seven feet to the ground, hitting it hard. Castle tugged on Charlie's shirt to haul him up off the muddy ground. The car came crashing down, the front grill ramming down hard against the base of the tree. They only had a few seconds to move, and Castle did his best to get them away. The car started to tip, gravity and momentum pulling it forward.

"Duck!" Castle shouted, grabbing Charlie and pulling him to his chest, balling himself up on top of the boy to try and protect him. He closed his eyes, preparing for the worst.

And then the Explorer came crashing down on them.

Blinking his eyes open, Castle was startled to discover that they were inside the car. His brow furrowed in confusion, until he realized that they had been saved by the fact that the tyrannosaur had destroy the curved glass rooftop when it had attacked the car earlier.

"Well," Charlie panted, shifting beside him. "We're back in the car, again."

Castle chuckled, and quipped back, "At least we're out of the tree."

XXX

Robert Muldoon punched it, slamming his foot down hard on the accelerator. The jeep's engine growled as he pushed it to its limits. These gas-powered jeeps weren't really designed for this sort of thing, but Jurassic Park was currently in crisis mode. Before he left the Visitor Center, he had instructed Wallace and the other drivers to start evacuating all the guests staying in those luxury camper trailers set up along the edge of the Vista View Ridge. With the power out, those people were in extreme danger.

The rain had finally let up and the visibility was greatly improved. He turned the wheel sharply, and the jeep slid on the mud, but the tires kept their traction, the vehicle only skidding a couple of inches as he drove it around the curve in the service road. Shifting gears, Muldoon pulled out of the turn faster than he began it. He was almost there, just under a quarter of a mile and he would reach the tyrannosaur paddock.

He took the next bend in the service road, and the jeep swung out into the main road. Muldoon slammed the breaks as he reached his intended destination. He pulled the clutch back, and let the jeep run on idle, as he gripped the window shield's frame and tugged himself up into a standing position. His jaw dropped as he took in the horrific scene before him.

The paddock's fence was in ruins, sliced down the middle, cables hung loose like vines along the edges of the gaping hole, still swaying. One pillar had been completely bent and toppled over, having collapsed along the center of the road, destroying the electric track. And worse of all… besides the scattering of some glass and metal debris, one of the Explorers was missing.


	12. Closer Than They Appear

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 11 – Closer Than They Appear**

* * *

><p>Kate hissed out a breath through her nose as Todd leaned heavily against her side. She tightened her grip on the younger man's arm, and trudged onward. Sally tried her best to help, but the woman was slight, so it fell mostly to Kate to support the majority of Todd's weight on her shoulder. Thankfully the rain had lessened to a slow drizzle. She tried not to think about anything other than her next step. Running after these two idiots had taken longer than she'd anticipated, and Kate was anxious to reunite with Castle. She did not like being separated from him. Ever since his disappearance over the summer, Kate struggled with letting him out of her sight. It had taken her a while to make do with quick text messages or phone calls. It had become exceedingly more difficult when he'd been kicked out of the precinct.<p>

She grunted, and tensed her back, tugging Todd along with her as they ducked under a lower hanging branch. After their encounter with the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Kate had opted staying clear of the pathway, just in case. Pushing through a thick batch of fronds and ferns, they finally stumbled back onto the main road.

The low rumbling of an idle engine caught Kate's attention immediately. Maybe the power had finally come back on. Usually she was a pessimist, but her husband had been slowly converting her to an optimist. Though, at present, she was leaning more towards the pessimist side of the spectrum. Shifting her gaze up from the graveled road, Kate searched franticly for the Explorers. Her eyes went wide in shock, and she nearly dropped Todd. The overturned SUV was missing. Her heart leapt up into her throat as she saw a sprinkling of metallic debris, along with twin rows of deep grooves dug into the gravel road, suggesting the car had been pushed up and over the paddock's concrete barrier.

And what made matters worse was the simple fact that Castle and the children were nowhere to be seen.

"Hey!" shouted a British accented voice from somewhere to their left, from the same direction that the idling engine could be heard.

Kate blinked, and spun her gaze to find a man dressed in a khaki park uniform, standing besides a gas-powered jeep. A yellow windbreaker hung off his shoulders, and in his hands he held an impressive shotgun. He wasted no time in rushing over to them.

"You guys alright!?" he asked, eyes wide, brow furrowed in concern. "What the bloody hell happened here!?" he questioned, swooping in to help Kate in supporting Todd's weight. The meathead groaned with the change, his head lolling forward. Sally fussed over him, her face contorting with worry.

"The Rex got out of its cage," Kate hissed out through gritted teeth. "What the hell do you think happened!?" She nearly snarled, shoving Todd into the park employee's arms, freeing herself of his dead weight. The man grunted, but held firm, shifting his hold on the shotgun and managing to catch Todd before he could fall face first to the wet ground. Not waiting for a reply, Kate pumped her legs and darted out across the road, skipping over the metal track, and shouting Castle's name as she ran.

"Castle! Castle! Rick! Oh… oh god, Rick!" her voice was close to a sob, but she didn't care. They'd been through too much for her to lose him now. It was easier to protect him when they were together. She shouldn't have left him alone. Her breath started to come out in panicked gasps, and she felt like curling in on herself as dark thoughts started to consume her. Tears streamed down her face as she surveyed the shards of shattered glass and jagged chunks of metal strewn across the road. Her heart felt heavy inside her chest as she slowly came to terms with what she was seeing.

"Miss!" the park ranger shouted, trying to gain her attention.

"No. No. No," Kate shook her head, ignoring him, refusing to believe what she was thinking.

She inched closer to the paddock's concrete barrier, almost afraid to look. Stretching up on her toes, Kate craned her neck and peered over the edge, hopelessly staring down into the darkness below. She could just about make out the swaying treetops in the dim moonlight that could manage to break through the clouds above. Narrowing her eyes, she scanned the bottom of the small ravine, her heart thumping with dread. Her mouth dropped open and she let out a strangled cry when she spotted it. Crushed and beaten, lying toppled over against the trunk of a large tree was the other car.

Spinning around, Kate spotted the park employee helping Todd, with Sally's assistance, into the backseat of the jeep. "The other car!" she shouted, a small shimmer of hope swelling inside her chest, even if her voice trembled with terror, fearful of what might be. "I found the other car!"

XXX

With a painful groan Dennis Nedry heaved himself up into a sitting position. His entire body ached. Rolling around, he gritted his teeth, planting his hands in the mud, and pushed his considerable bulk up. He stumbled to his feet, dizzy and disorientated, gasping for air. Blinking his eyes, he staggered around, teetering back and forth on his feet, before he was finally able to look at his slightly out-of-focus surroundings. He cursed. Damn glasses.

"You can afford new glasses," he muttered to himself, shaking his head.

He was at the bottom of a steep slope. Blinking, Nedry glared up at the tumble of trees and ferns that marked his path down the severe drop. In truth, he could only vaguely remember falling down. It was all such a blur. Though Nedry could still clearly remember the tyrannosaur. It had completely pulverized his jeep, causing him to swerve off the road and ram into a tree. His head was pounding, and he exhaled huffily, remembering what had happened next. During the struggle to get out of the car he had head his head. At least that's what he thought had happened. After seeing the big three-toed foot come down on the car's hood and stumbling wildly into the forest and then the slope, everything seemed to blur into one massive collage of chaos.

That's what it was.

Chaos. Fucking chaos.

He coughed, covering his mouth with his hand. Looking down at himself, and feeling around, he was happy to find that he wasn't that badly hurt. Though he was probably bruised from the fall. He was covered in mud and his clothing was soaked. But other than that, he seemed to be fine.

Nedry quickly glanced at his digital wristwatch. "I still have time," he mumbled to himself, patting his jacket pocket, and sighing with relief as he felt the solid outline of the shaving cream can. Nedry glanced around, trying to figure out where he was. He really couldn't tell. All he could see were dark tree trunks and underbrush. Ferns, palms, and fronds covered the muddy ground. Up above, the treetops created a canopy that blocked out any light that the moon may had provided, that was if the moon was even visible above the gray storm clouds. Nedry was glad that it had stopped raining, only a light drizzle remaining. It was perhaps the only thing that was positive at the moment.

He scrambled forward, trying to make his way back up the slope, but the ground was slippery under his feet. He grabbed the closest fern, but it gave way under his considerable weight, and the roots popped out of the ground. Nedry tumbled backward on his back, sliding back down the slope. He landed in roughly the same spot he had woken up in. After struggling to stand back up, he threw the fern away in disgust. He looked around. If he could only make it back to the road, he would be able to find his way to the docks. With the lessening of the storm, he'd wager good money that the ships were still moored.

Nedry pushed the fronds out of his way, as he stumbled forward, trudging through the small creek to reach the bank on the other side, trying to find an easier way back to the service road. After a minute or two of meandering along the creek bed, Nedry stopped and squinted into the darkness. He could have sworn he'd seen something. He blinked. No, it was nothing. It must have been the wind or a trick of the light. But no wind was blowing. He didn't feel a breeze. And there was very little light to play tricks on him. Nedry felt a slight chill, not from the air or wind, but from fear. He hesitated before continuing.

He reached a small slope, pleased to see that it was not as steep as the other one. It was muddy and slippery, but Nedry was able to shimmy up it, like a pig on its belly. He reached the top of the slope with no trouble and crawled towards a fallen tree trunk covered in a rich layering of lichen and moss. Gripping the log, he hauled himself up, breathing heavily. His heart pounded fiercely, and he contemplated taking a break, but upon further review, Nedry decided it was best to keep trudging on. He didn't want to miss the boat.

As he was shuffling along, Nedry's foot caught on a gnarled root, and he fell forward with a sharp cry. He hit the ground hard and rolled over on his back. He laid there for a moment, startled, huffing and puffing, trying to catch his breath, when he heard a sudden hooting sound. Almost like an owl. He froze. It came again, much closer this time, almost like it was an answer to the previous hoot. He turned his head and saw them.

Dinosaurs!

The ten-foot tall bodies were covered in a kind of dark green, with black stripes, like a tiger. Underneath, the bellies were a bright green, like a lizard. Twin red curving crests ran along the top of the head from the eyes to the nose, making a V-shape above the squinting eyes. Nedry immediately recognized them from their pictures from the various promotional materials about Jurassic Park.

Dilophosaurus. _Spitters_.

One was a couple of feet away, while another one stood beside what appeared to be a mound of mud. Nedry squinted at the mound. It almost looked like the nest of a crocodile. A nest? How was that possible? The dinosaurs only bred on Site B. Isla Nublar was the showcase. Breeding was strictly controlled. But he couldn't deny what he was seeing with his own eyes. He must have stumbled into the nest of the dilophosaurs. Obviously, this was not a very good thing. Dilophosaurs were predators, and from the summaries Nedry had read about them, these dinosaurs could apparently spit poison, blinding their prey. His heart pounded with terror.

"Nice dinosaurs… nice dinosaurs," he whimpered under his breath, praying that they ignored him.

Nedry watched as the dilophosaurs cocked their heads and hooted back and forth. Eventually the one closest to him turned and walked back to join the other one by the nest. Nedry decided that it was time for him to leave. He slowly rolled onto his fleshy belly, and began to slowly crawl in the opposite direction as the dilophosaurs. Behind him, he could hear them hooting and chirping. Damn things were having some sort of conversation.

When the hooting stopped, Nedry froze, his breath coming out in sharp, harsh pants. He hesitated before looking over his shoulder. It was a bad idea. Rearing back as it snarled, a rattling circular sail snapped up around the dilophosaur's twined crested head. The noise resembled the warning of a rattlesnake. Nedry stared dumbly at the creature, fear immobilizing him. There was a loud splattering sound and Nedry felt a sticky wet substance on his cheek. He brought his hand came up and wiped off the oily, sticky substance. It didn't take him long to realize that the substance was the saliva of the dilophosaur because he started to feel a tingling, burning sensation on his cheek and hand.

"No, no, no," he mumbled to himself, grunting and groaning as he heaved himself up to his feet, irrationally believing he could make a run for it. A foolish idea, considering he was severely overweight.

A loud hooting came from his right. Stupidly, he turned to look. The dilophosaur snarled and hissed at him. It reared its head back. And then—

_Burning! Burning!_

Nedry screamed. It felt like someone had just tossed acid into his face. He closed his eyelids, but it didn't stop. His hands came up to frantically wipe at the poisonous saliva on his face. But that didn't help, either. The burning never stopped. He opened his eyes, but could only see flashing white dots. He was blind! He couldn't see. Nedry stumbled forward, dropping down to his knees, his hands spreading out before him to feel the ground. Soon he was on all fours, moving as fast as he could.

As he groped blindly about, he murmured prayers to every religious deity or icon he could think of. But not one of them answered his pleas. He fumbled to the right, and stopped, letting out a whimpering cry as he felt something cold and scaly. "Oh, God… no… please… no!" He quickly recoiled his hand, knowing what it was.

Soon he felt the warm breath of the dinosaur against his face. It was foul, like rotting flesh. He moved backward and bumped into something. He knew what that was as well, because it too was scaly. Both dilophosaurs were standing beside him, boxing him in. He waved his hands around wildly in the air and shouted; vainly hoping it would startle the beasts off. The dilophosaurs hooted in surprise and he heard one step backwards, a twig snapping under its clawed foot. His hearing was surprisingly better than he thought. Nedry listened to the soft chirping noises in the distance. One of the dilophosaurs snorted and he heard it run back to the nest. He could slightly make out what sounded like sickly wet cracking noises.

Were the eggs hatching?

Perhaps the beasts would ignore him then, in favor of tending to their young. However, the breath of one of the dilophosaurs could still be felt along the side of his face. He screamed, crazed, and waved his hands around again, but it was no use. It wasn't afraid of him. In fact, it seemed amused, if anything. It poked at him with its snout, pushing him over onto his back, playing with its food. He cried out as he fell. He felt the ground tremor as the dinosaur stepped around him, its prey. He couldn't move. His breath came in ragged heaves. He was trembling all over in fear. Soon he felt the breath of the dilophosaur on his neck. He heard the nostrils snort, and then he felt soft prickling things touch his fleshy neck. Numbed by the venom, Nedry was only dimly aware that he was being lifted into the air by the jaws of the dinosaur.

_Damn Hammond_, Nedry thought. _And damn Dodgson._ He cursed the day he'd meet the billionaire enterpriser and the corporate espionage agent.

He felt the jaws tighten around his neck, the teeth of the dilophosaur piercing his flesh. He opened his mouth to scream. And then, with a swift jerk of its powerful jaws and a loud crackling snap, everything went black.

XXX

The beam of light shot out across the dark night. Kate squinted, carefully stepping over the gnarled roots and scattering of rocks. She was trying her best not to get her hopes up, but it was hard. The beam from Muldoon's flashlight shone off to her right. Hers stayed straight, shaking in her trembling hands. The game warden hustled past her, leading the way. Kate followed, chewing her bottom lip in dread, terrified at what she might find. If she lost him, she honestly didn't know if she'd survive.

"Mr. Castle!" Muldoon called out.

"Rick!" Kate all but sobbed, making her way over to the wrecked Explorer.

The game warden reached the toppled car first. He crouched down, and pointed his flashlight inside, eyes narrowing. Kate waited with baited breath, heart pounding with each passing second.

"Do you see anything?" she demanded, desperate.

Muldoon mulled silently, his gaze piercing as he glared into the interior, sweeping his flashlight back and forth in a slow and meticulous search. "I don't know."

Frustrated with his non-answers, Kate nervously stumbled around to other side of the wreckage. She placed a hand on the bent doorframe as she leaned down to look inside the crushed car.

"Rick!?" her voice choked on his name, tears silently leaking down her face.

"They're not here," Muldoon stated softly, trying to ease the blow.

Kate shook her head, ignoring him, not wanting to hear that. Her and Castle had survived too many close calls for this to be it. No way did Richard Castle die out here in the middle of some damn amusement park.

"Detective Beckett, I've seen a lot of animal attacks," Muldoon continued in an annoyingly calm and reasoned voice. "People just disappear. No blood. No trace. Sometimes, as frustrating as it can be, that's the way it happens."

"I know how to look at a crime scene!" she snapped back.

Muldoon sighed, pulling back from the wreckage, and made his way around to join her on the other side of the fallen car, cautiously approaching her like she was some easily startled animal. "This isn't like a crime scene," he asserted, placing a hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her back from the abyss. "New York City is a completely different jungle than this one."

Kate swallowed, and reluctantly bobbed her head in understanding. "I know," she said, blinking back tears. "It's just that… Rick and I finally got married after all this… struggle. We were supposed to be happy now. We… we were supposed to be together." She sniffled, and turned away, embarrassed, wiping at her nose with the back of her hand. Kate blinked her eyes and stared down at the ground, only vaguely aware of her surroundings.

Muldoon opened his mouth to say something, whether to reassure her or reiterate the harsh realities, she'd never know, because at that exact moment, the awful roar of a Tyrannosaurus Rex boomed in the distance.

"We should get going," Muldoon said, reaching for her arm.

Kate gave a nod of agreement, when she stopped. "Wait! Look!" she exclaimed, her heart leaping up in her chest as she stared down at the ground. Moving her flashlight, she shone the light along the mud. Footprints. One was small, like a child. And the other was larger, adult male. Castle. Her eyes followed the tracks as they led off into the foliage. "He's alive."

XXX

Rick Castle stopped in his tracks, a look of confusion washing over his face. Trailing behind him, the kids almost stumbled, unprepared for his sudden halt. Castle held up his hand to stop them, arching his neck to glanced back at them, realizing the gesture was unnecessary. Charlie wiped at the snot on his nose with the back of his hand, and Zoe rolled her eyes in disgust at his behavior before turning her attention to Castle.

"What is it, Mr. Castle?"

"Once again, call me, Rick," Castle said, frowning down at the wrinkled up park map he had discovered was tucked into his back pocket. He recalled picking it up when he and Kate been waiting in line at the Visitor Center. Now he couldn't stop thinking how fortuitous that impulse decision had been. "And this is a map."

Charlie stretched up on his toes to look at the map in Castle's hands. "You sure that can help?"

True, the map was rather crude, drawn in a cartoon-like fashion for the consumption of the countless tourist that came to the park, but it would have to do. Castle smoothed his hand along the thick crease down the center, a result from when he had folded the glossy pamphlet up to shove in his back pocket. The locations were clearly marked, and Castle had a vague idea of where they were and what direction they should head, but still… it did involve a lot of guesswork.

"Well?" Zoe question, raising an eyebrow at him, a look that oddly reminded him of Beckett. The teen had calmed down since being reunited with her little brother, and he was starting to get a glimpse of her independent personality.

Studying the map more closely, Castle cocked his head. Okay… so maybe he was reading it wrong, or they were just lost. "I think this little symbol indicates a maintenance shed or something like that. It looks to be four or eight miles in—" he broke off to scan the surrounding area, and then pointed off to his left, "that direction." He carefully folded the map back up and returned it to his back pocket. "What do you say, kids? You ready for a hike?"

Zoe's brow furrowed, and she glanced worriedly at the surrounding foliage, the jungle noises seeming louder than previously. Her bravado from before vanished, and she curled in on herself, her arms quivering with fear. "Do… do you think we'll run into any more dinosaurs?"

Her little brother let out a snarky laugh. "Duh!" he proclaimed with an amused expression. "What'd you expect, Zoe? This _is_ a dinosaur park."

"Shut your snotty face!" Zoe snapped, punching him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Charlie glared up at her as he rubbed his injured arm. "That hurt."

"I didn't even want to come to this stupid park," Zoe bemoaned. "It was your dumb idea."

"I'm not dumb!" Charlie shouted back.

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

Castle watched them with an amused expression for a minute before stepping in. "Now kids," he interjected, giving them a stern look. God, he had it easy with Alexis. She was no problem at all, practically raised herself. Though he had a strong notion that they're bickering was a coping mechanism, a way for them to release some of the stress they all have been under. "We'll definitely be seeing some dinosaurs if you keep making all that noise… and they won't be the friendly sort."

As if to prove his point, the roar of the fearsome tyrannosaur sounded from a distance. It wasn't close—thankfully, but the bellow was loud enough to reach their ears.

"There are friendly dinosaurs?" Zoe scoffed lightly, disbelieving.

"Yeah, you know, the herbivores," Castle said.

"That what?" Zoe knitted her eyebrows in confusion.

"The veggie-saurs, Zoe," Charlie inputted. "Veggie-saurs! That means they only eat vegetables, but I think for you, they'd make an exception."

"_Charlie_," Castle scolded, narrowing his eyes in what he hoped was a decent imitation of Beckett's intimidating glare.

"Oh," Zoe nodded, blessedly ignoring her little brother's goading. "Good. I hate the other kind." She shuddered at the thought, her eyes glazing over with the terrifying memories of their ordeal with the T-Rex.

Castle gave a small shrug, shifting his footing on the rough ground. "Well, the other kind just do what they do." She blinked her eyes open and gazed up at him with a look of surprising trust. He noticed Charlie was staring up at him with the same look on his face. He pursed his lips, thinking, _heavy lies the crown_. To tell the truth, he was finding it difficult to hold on to the mask of confidence he was projecting for the kids. Inside he was just as frightened and freaked out as they were. Castle hoped he lived up to their trust in him. "Alright," he said, holding out his hand, and smiling when Zoe accepted it. "Let's get moving."

XXX

Muldoon glanced over at the distraught woman as they crested the rise on their way back to the jeep. He was unsure how to comfort her, or if that was even possible considering the circumstances. From what he could see, Kate Beckett was a fierce and strong woman, not used to showing any vulnerability. She seemed to be the type that didn't often display such emotions in front of others. When he had first joined her by the paddock barrier, she'd made a point of introducing herself as a NYPD Detective. So he suspected that like most cops, she generally kept her feelings close to the vest. But this situation was different. The man missing was her husband.

"Here it is," Beckett said, gesturing towards the crumbling rubble that had once been the bathroom bunker.

Muldoon swung his flashlight out across the debris strewn across the clearing. He spotted blood and viscera, and sighed, rubbing his forehead. Great… they had their first casualty. He squatted down next to what was left of the person, lifting the palm to see if he could see a face in what remained. He grimaced. "Who was it?"

She shrugged. "I never knew his name," she said. "But he was the father of the two kids in the car in front of us."

He nodded. "We can pull up his identity once we get back to the Visitor Center," Muldoon said, scrubbing a hand down his face and sighing. He hoped to God that Hammond had followed his instructions and started an emergency evacuation of the park guests.

Muldoon stood up, and shone his flashlight towards an imprint within the mud—a large three-toed footprint. It was filled with water from the rain, and he stared at it, his experience as a hunter allowing him to notice things that others might miss. The water in the puddle vibrated rhythmically, slowly, at first, but it quickened, the rings in the water getting bigger with each passing second.

Beside him, Beckett frowned, eyes glued on the same water-filled footprint. "Do you hear that?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side, as if to hear better.

Muldoon inclined his head. "It's an impact tremor," he said, his calm voice belying the concern in his eyes.

"Why do I get the feeling that I should be alarmed by that?" Beckett questioned.

"Because your smart," he answered with a dry smirk. "Run."

Muldoon took off at a dead sprint, heading back towards the main road. He risked a glance to his right, pleasantly surprised to find the woman keeping pace with him. His suspicions were soon confirmed when from behind them, they heard the low, rumbling growl of the approaching tyrannosaur. He could hear the distinct boom of each impact as the tyrannosaur stomped against the ground. Expanding his lungs to take in more oxygen, Muldoon pounded his feet against the wet dirt, working his legs harder to move faster. Kate Beckett pushed ahead of him, her long legs giving her a decided advantage.

They burst out of the foliage and into the open road seconds later, gasping and heaving. Propped up in the backseat of the jeep, Todd frantically waved at them, beckoning them over. Sitting next him, Sally bounced anxiously.

"Hurry," the young woman cried out.

"Gotta move," Todd shouted. "Gotta get out of here. Let's go—we gotta go! Like right now. Hurry. Let's get the fuck out of here! Like now!"

The booming footsteps were much louder, and were coming at quicker intervals. Muldoon risked a glance over his shoulder, seeing the tops of trees a couple yards away begin to quake. Gritting his teeth, he turned back around and put a hand on Beckett's arm, directing her towards the passenger side of the jeep. She nodded, and quickened her pace, darting around the stationary jeep, and climbing into the passenger seat. Muldoon tossed his flashlight into the rear compartment, and jumped up into the driver's seat, sliding down into place.

"Move now!" Todd yelled, his terrified voice filling the night air, alerting all manner of beasties to their presence. "Let's go, let's go, right now, right now!"

Muldoon turned the ignition and shifted gears. He arched his neck and glanced over his shoulder at the shouting fool, intent on telling the man to shut the bloody hell up. But just as he opened his mouth, Muldoon saw the tyrannosaur smash out of the jungle, head lowered like a massive battering ram, toppling trees as it charged out into the main road. The tyrannosaur opened her massive maw, and roared. The entire world seemed to vibrate with fear.

"GO!"

He didn't need to be told twice. Muldoon quickly shifted the jeep into gear and dropped the clutch, slamming his foot down against the accelerator. The wheels squealed, kicking up mud, before finding traction. Within seconds the jeep was tearing out of there. The earsplitting roar of the tyrannosaur, hot on their trail, drowned out the roar of the engine. With its powerful legs, the beast charged after them, fierce and terrible.

However, the jeep was slow to work through the first few gears. Allowing the tyrannosaur to close the distance. Muldoon clenched his teeth and cursed. He gripped the wheel, and turned them down the access road along side the main road, hoping to lose their pursuer. But it didn't. The tyrannosaur plowed through the tunnel of trees, undeterred.

In the passenger seat, Beckett was clutching the dashboard and glaring back at the monster as it chased them down the road. Muldoon was amazed at how formidable she looked. There was no fear in her eyes. She just stared the beast down. The tyrannosaur got closer, and in the backseat, Sally screamed loudly. Muldoon tried to swerve the jeep to avoid a collision with a fallen tree, nearly sending them into a ravine. He punched his foot down harder, pedal to the metal and all that.

The tyrannosaur roared, leaning in to snap its massive jaws at them. Muldoon's gaze flicked down to the side view mirror, which told him, in small red lettering along the bottom, that "Object Are Closer Than They Appear." _No shit_, he thought. The tyrannosaur was still gaining on them, its powerful stride nearly matching that of the jeep, thanks—in large part—to the slow acceleration of the jeep through the gears. Muldoon, along with the rest, all stared back at the Rex in terror.

"Faster, faster!" Beckett encouraged beside him, pounding her fist against the dashboard.

"Must go faster, it's getting closer—must go faster!" Todd instructed, a backseat driver.

The tyrannosaur swooped its head down for another pass, snapping its powerful jaws just above their heads. Beckett let out a string of curses, hunkering down in her seat, as Todd sprawled his body out over Sally, trying to shield her.

"Fuck, dude… go, go, go!" Todd shouted. "Open it up! Go. Man… go!"

Muldoon wanted to reprimand the man for backseat driving, but he held his tongue, and turned back to focus on driving. But when his eyes landed back to the access road, he saw a half-fallen tree branch right in front of them, blocking the path of the road.

"DOWN!" he yelled.

Everyone immediately ducked on his command. Beckett curled down into her seat, head pressed low over her lap, similar to the emergency landing position on an airplane. The thick branch smacked right into the windshield, sending shards of glass shattering up into the air, stripping it from the jeep. The back piping above the backseats were wrenched away, flying off noisily in a metallic screeching crack.

The tyrannosaur ram right through the branch, unhindered, smashing it entirely. The jeep bounced violently, the wheels dangerous close to losing traction. Todd was knocked about, his body shoved forward into the front compartment of the jeep. Afterwards, the fool kept leaning back, away from the danger of the Rex, and his elbow struck the gear shaft, knocking it back into neutral. The engine protested, spinning uselessly, and the beast closed in again. Muldoon growled in frustration, trying to keep control of the vehicle, while also outrunning a very pissed off Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"Bloody move!" Muldoon shouted at Todd, but the meathead couldn't hear him over the roar of both the engine and the tyrannosaur.

Thankfully, Beckett noticed what was happening. She exchanged a quick look with him, before turning to Todd, placing a hand on his shoulder, and pushing him back off the gear shift. Nostrils flaring as adrenaline pounded through his veins, Muldoon gave Beckett a grateful nod, before gripping the stick and ramming it back into gear. The jeep picked up speed, starting to pull ahead. Muldoon felt the beginnings of a smile tug at his lips, but he kept it at bay, not wanting to tempt fate.

Losing ground, the T-Rex roared in outrage, and made one final lunge for the jeep, smacking its massive bulk of a head roughly against the left rear quarter panel. The jeep bounced into the air, but Muldoon maintained his grip and control on the wheel, steering them safely through the assault. He punched his foot down on the accelerator, and jeep roared away. The tyrannosaur let out a roar of defeat, and gave up, slowing its stride, fading away into the distance.

Muldoon finally let out a breath, and looked back over his shoulder to check on Todd and Sally. The young blonde was crying hysterically, her face buried in the man's chest. Todd looked out of breath, ready to just pass out from sheer terror. Muldoon whistled in relief and glanced at Beckett in the passenger seat. She was leaning back in her seat, one hand on her heaving chest as she caught her breath. Her eyes flicked up to meet his and she smirked ruefully.

"Think they'll add that to the tour?"


End file.
